Nairobi — Public health experts across Africa are urging the adoption of science-led approaches in tobacco regulation and policy development to better support harm reduction efforts and improve public health outcomes.
The experts who met in Nairobi for the fourth edition of the Harm Reduction Exchange explained that harm reduction is essential in mitigating the negative health, social, and legal impacts associated with substances like tobacco, alcohol, and opioids.
Vivian Manyeki, a public health expert from Kenya emphasized that governments should not only strengthen tobacco control laws but also integrate harm reduction strategies, including allocating tobacco tax revenues to fund public health programs and increasing access to harm reduction tools such as nicotine replacement therapies (NRT).
"The integration of harm reduction into tobacco regulation is crucial," she said.
"This approach not only reduces harm but also enables a shift in policy that protects public health while offering viable alternatives for individuals seeking to reduce or quit tobacco use."
Wilson Box, Projects Executive Director at the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, highlighted the varying regulatory landscapes across Africa.
He pointed out that while some African countries align their tobacco policies with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), others face challenges due to limited resources, making it difficult to implement effective regulation.
Mohammed Eltaweel of Egypt on his part shared his country's success story in using harm reduction strategies to reduce the public health burden from opioid misuse and tobacco use.
He highlighted Egypt's cost-effective interventions, such as making buprenorphine available for opioid addiction treatment and supporting regulated alternatives to traditional cigarettes, as key steps in improving public health outcomes.
The conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including policymakers, public health experts, media professionals, and representatives from the Bar, Hotels, and Liquor Traders Association (BAHLITA), to discuss the critical need for evidence-based strategies to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances.
