IRADA moot advocates Tobacco Harm Reduction approach

KARACHI: The Initiative on Risk-reduction and Dependable Alternatives (IRADA) recently held its fourth roundtable discussion in Karachi, reaffirming its focus on Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) as a vital public health approach in Pakistan.
The event was attended by a diverse mix of stakeholders, including public health officials, medical experts, NGO representatives, media, and community leaders, all key players in promoting public awareness and policy advocacy for harm reduction.
The roundtable aimed to deepen the understanding of THR among stakeholders and showcased evidence-based methods for reducing the health risks of smoking by promoting less harmful alternatives.
Dr. Muhammad Rizwan Junaid, a noted researcher and policy advisor, led discussions on how THR can mitigate tobacco-related illnesses and deaths in Pakistan. 
He cited Sweden's successful integration of nicotine pouches and snus, which has significantly reduced smoking rates, making it one of the lowest-smoking countries in Europe.
“Expanding THR initiatives has the potential to save more lives than almost any other public health intervention,” Dr. Junaid says, presenting data indicating that THR could save up to 2.6 million lives in high-tobacco-use countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, and South Africa, which shows its impact in low- and middle-income countries.