21 JUNE 2023

Day 1 - Workshops and plenary session

Workshop: Reducing the environmental impacts in tobacco harm reduction

Watch session video in: English, Chinese and Spanish.

In a seriously and increasingly polluted world, tobacco harm reduction is now a new source of environmental impact. How does the environmental impact of tobacco harm reduction compare to the environmental impact of combustible cigarettes? What is the likely political impact of controversy about the environmental impact of tobacco harm reduction, especially vaping, already besieged by militant opponents? How can the environmental impact of tobacco harm reduction be reduced? How is the environmental impact of tobacco harm reduction already being reduced? Can the environmental impact of tobacco harm reduction be reduced substantially if much supply is provided by a black market? What are the prospects of designers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, consumers, recycling companies & environmental experts working together? Time will be allocated for questions, discussion and feedback from the audience.

Host

Alex Wodak

Alex Wodak

Speaker

Colin Mendelsohn

Colin Mendelsohn

Speaker

Pieter Vorster

Pieter Vorster

Speaker

Martin Steinbauer

Martin Steinbauer

Speaker

David Burns

David Burns

Workshop: Regulation case study - Philippines

This workshop aims to share the experience of the Philippines in passing the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Law. The law regulates all non-combusted nicotine products and introduces a harm reduction approach, stating that “reducing the harm caused by smoking” is one of the purposes of the law. As with most countries, this new category of products presented questions and caused some apprehension among the public and policy makers. Congress took its time to study the available science and listen to the perspective of all affected stakeholders including consumers and the public health community. The panellists, who are all anti-smoking advocates, will share their challenges and learnings in working to pass this landmark legislation. The outcome document from this panel is a paper highlighting the elements of an ideal regulation which keeps unintended consequences to a minimum and allows adult smokers access to these products, and how this can be achieved in an age of fake news and misinformation.

Host

Peter Dator

Peter Dator

Speaker

Alfredo Garbin

Alfredo Garbin

Speaker

Sharon Garin

Sharon Garin

Speaker

Lorenzo Mata

Lorenzo Mata

Speaker

Rafael Castillo

Rafael Castillo

Spanish-language symposia: COP10: Derecho a la Reducción de Daños y guía práctica para incentivar la participación

Watch session video in: English and Spanish.

Países de pequeños y medianos ingresos registran una prevalencia mayor de fumado y alrededor del 80% de muertes relacionadas al tabaquismo en el mundo. Sin embargo, medidas altamente efectivas para cesación y de bajo costo para el estado, como los productos de reducción de daños para personas que no quieren o pueden dejar de fumar son obstaculizadas por iniciativas prohibicionistas de lobbys ideológicamente opuestos a permitir alternativas de bajo riesgo. Los panelistas discutirán regulaciones en Iberoamérica, experiencias en el activismo y buscarán junto con la audiencia, idear estrategias que incentiven la participación con vista en la COP10 del CMCT.

Low- and middle-income countries have the highest smoking prevalence and around 80% of smoking-related deaths worldwide. However, highly effective cessation measures at low cost to the state, such as harm reduction products for people unwilling or unable to quit smoking, are hampered by prohibitionist initiatives from lobbies ideologically opposed to allowing low-risk alternatives. The panellists will discuss regulations in Ibero-America, and experiences in activism and will seek, together with the audience, to devise strategies to encourage participation looking at the FCTC COP10.

Host

Jeffrey Zamora

Jeffrey Zamora

Panellist

Juan José Cirión

Juan José Cirión

Panellist

Ignacio Leiva

Ignacio Leiva

Panellist

Francisco Ordóñez

Francisco Ordóñez

Panellist

Julio Ruades “El Mono Vapeador”

Julio Ruades “El Mono Vapeador”

Workshop: Medicinal licensing of vaping products and the potential implications for public health

Currently, the only medicines available for physicians to prescribe to help smokers quit smoking are nicotine replacement therapies and pharmacological treatments, which generally have modest efficacy. E-cigarettes are able to provide nicotine in a means and quantity similar to smoking and are potentially more efficacious than NRT or other licensed medications. Therefore, making e-cigarettes available on prescription, alongside their availability as consumer goods, is a potential mechanism by which the population-level harm reduction potential of vaping products can be enhanced. Having medicinally-licensed products available may also have knock-on effects for consumer vaping products, particularly in improving both physicians’ and public perceptions of the benefits and risks of vaping products. The short presentations and panel discussion workshop will explore medicinal licensing of e-cigarettes, focussing particularly on the following: “Do we actually need medicinally licensed vaping products?” | “Regulatory requirements for medicinal licensing in the UK, the USA, and elsewhere” | “Barriers to gaining a medicinal license” | “Benefits from public health and physicians’ perspectives” | “Manufacturers’ perspectives – why bother?” | “How regulators, the academic community, and industry, can work together for the benefit of public health.”

Host

Ian Fearon

Ian Fearon

Host

Scott Leischow

Scott Leischow

Speaker

Martin Cullip

Martin Cullip

Speaker

Jasjit Ahluwalia

Jasjit Ahluwalia

Speaker

Brian Quigley

Brian Quigley

Speaker

Mark Dickinson

Mark Dickinson

Workshop: Regulation case study - Australia

This panel discussion will explore the different regulatory models for nicotine vaping products (NVPs) from an Australian perspective. We will begin with a description of the flawed prescription-only model currently being used in Australia and why it has failed. We will then compare and contrast the other models currently used in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand. We will discuss the unintended consequences of excessively restrictive regulations and the harm that can be caused to NVP uptake and smoking rates. We will conclude with a discussion of the preferred regulatory approach, a risk-proportionate, pragmatic consumer model that allows easy access for adult smokers and restricts access by teens, to achieve the best net outcome for public health. Time will be allocated for questions, discussion and feedback from the audience.

Host

Colin Mendelsohn

Colin Mendelsohn

Speaker

Alex Wodak

Alex Wodak

Speaker

Carolyn Beaumont

Carolyn Beaumont

Workshop: Regulation - the global picture

The global picture of safer nicotine product regulation shows wide variations in both policies and their application. Many jurisdictions impose outright bans, while others adopt more balanced approaches, recognising growing scientific evidence of the efficacy of safer products in tackling a global smoking epidemic that kills 7 million people every year. This workshop will seek to identify key issues for regulators and how these should be addressed. Panellists will use examples to illustrate the global state of regulation. They'll discuss what makes for good and proportionate regulation, and identify which international models might be appropriate for adoption, to ensure critical access to safer alternatives for people who smoke.

Host

Will Godfrey

Will Godfrey

Speaker

Agnieszka Wyszyńska-Szulc

Agnieszka Wyszyńska-Szulc

Speaker

Barnaby Page

Barnaby Page

Speaker

Joseph Magero

Joseph Magero

Speaker

Tomás O'Gorman

Tomás O'Gorman

Workshop: Tobacco harm reduction advocacy 101

This Workshop will explore the different political biases in the media and provide hands-on interactive activities on the importance of messaging - how to tailor and deliver it to your intended audience.

This session will be focussed on communication with mainstream media (and government officials): if communication is clear, concise and messaging is focussed, we can accomplish much more. We need to tailor our messaging to the audience and “meet people where they are.”

Host

Heneage Mitchell

Heneage Mitchell

Speaker

Nancy Loucas

Nancy Loucas

Spanish-language symposia: Iberoamerica: ¿Una obligación moral y ética de los profesionales de salud de promover la Reducción de Daños?

Watch session video in: English and Spanish.

Cada vez más médicos y científicos en los países iberoamericanos se están posicionando a favor de la Reducción de Daños por Tabaquismo (THR), sin embargo, todos ellos se enfrentan al dilema de hacer o no público su posicionamiento y realizar una defensa activa. Por un lado, su ética profesional les empuja a pronunciarse y defender la evidencia científica y la salud pública. Por otro lado, las consecuencias de defender públicamente la THR puede acarrear ataques de distintos lobbies que pueden desembocar en consecuencias graves tanto a nivel profesional como personal. Durante el panel analizaremos las experiencias de los Doctores y las opciones para gestionar su posicionamiento.

More and more doctors and scientists in Latin American countries are taking a stand in favour of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR), but they all face the dilemma of whether or not to make their position public and actively advocate for it. On the one hand, their professional ethics push them to speak out and defend scientific evidence and public health. However, on the other hand, the consequences of publicly defending THR can lead to attacks from different lobbies that can lead to severe consequences both professionally and personally. During the panel, we will discuss the experiences of doctors and the options for managing their position.

Host

Carmen Escrig

Carmen Escrig

Panellist

Diego Verrastro

Diego Verrastro

Panellist

Enrique Terán

Enrique Terán

Panellist

Roberto Sussman

Roberto Sussman

Panellist

Randall Rodríguez Obando

Randall Rodríguez Obando

Panellist

Fernando Bueno

Fernando Bueno

Panellist

Silvia Cazenave

Silvia Cazenave

GFN23: The Big THR Conversation - how can the last decade influence and inform the next?

Watch session video in: English, Chinese and Spanish.

This interactive session depends on your stories and memories, as we create an oral history of tobacco harm reduction. Please come ready to share your experiences! Following a ‘chat-show’ format, we'll look back on the rapid development and acceptance of tobacco harm reduction as a key public health strategy over the past decade. Key moments and events that have driven or impeded progress will be illustrated by short video clips from our archives. Our host, Clive Bates, will seek testimony from you, the GFN audience - because so many of you have been directly involved in and integral to tobacco harm reduction's development. Summing up the discussion, Clive will identify key points that might influence or impact the future of the approach, at this tenth anniversary edition of the Global Forum on Nicotine.

Host

Clive Bates

Clive Bates

22 JUNE 2023

Day 2 - Workshops, conference opening, MRO

Workshop: Facilitators and barriers to switching or quitting: context matters

This interactive workshop will generate discussion about the different environments and social determinants helping or hindering transition from the highest risk tobacco products to very low-risk alternatives.
We will explore how these vary for different regions and ‘left behind’ groups, such as, low-income groups, people with mental health conditions, LGBT+, Indigenous Peoples, and women.

Host

Marewa Glover

Marewa Glover

Speaker

Tomás O'Gorman

Tomás O'Gorman

Speaker

Judy Gibson

Judy Gibson

Workshop: Public health and harm reduction in Central Asia and the Caucasus

Watch session video in: English and Russian.

The intention of this workshop is to promote awareness of the potential of Harm Reduction, Public Health and Social initiatives to help improve health outcomes, boost awareness of existing work and support networking opportunities in the Central Asian and Caucasus region.

Host

Kasia Kowalczyk

Kasia Kowalczyk

Co-host

Arkadi Sharkov

Arkadi Sharkov

Speaker

Samigullina Alfiya Eldarovna

Samigullina Alfiya Eldarovna

Speaker

Zurab Tchiaberashvili

Zurab Tchiaberashvili

Speaker

Gintautas-Jouzas Kentra

Gintautas-Jouzas Kentra

Speaker

Amir Rashidov

Amir Rashidov

Speaker

Saida Umarzoda

Saida Umarzoda

Workshop: Tobacco industry transformation – is it really reaching LMICs?

Nearly 80% of the world’s users of risky forms of tobacco live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The tobacco industry enjoys a significant advantage in LMICs due to the role they play in many of those economies as well as the lack of adequate regulatory and enforcement capacity in those countries to implement the FCTC. How do these realities impact the availability, accessibility and affordability of reduced risk tobacco and nicotine products in these countries? What role can and should the industry play in making safer forms of nicotine available to LMIC users? This will be a panel-based workshop, drawing from a range of key stakeholders, including the industry, to examine whether the tobacco industry’s transformation is reaching LMICs or not.

Host

Sud Patwardhan

Sud Patwardhan

Speaker

Flora Okereke

Flora Okereke

Speaker

Atul Agarwal

Atul Agarwal

Speaker

Joseph Magero

Joseph Magero

ISoNTech (external event, open to all)

International Symposium on Nicotine Technology. Programme for the event is available here: https://isontech.info/events/2023/

Host

Charles Hamshaw-Thomas

Charles Hamshaw-Thomas

Conference welcome and opening

EN + ES + RU

Host

Jessica Harding

Jessica Harding

Co-host

Grzegorz Król

Grzegorz Król

Michael Russell Oration

A rigorous critical evaluation of tobacco & nicotine science

Watch session video in: English, Spanish , Russian and Mandarin Chinese.

Presenter

Roberto Sussman

Roberto Sussman

Title: Michael Russell Oration

Host

Grzegorz Król

Grzegorz Król

Title: Michael Russell Oration

Kevin Molloy Fellowship awards

EN + ES + RU

Presented by

Anne Molloy

Anne Molloy

Michael Russell award

EN + ES + RU

Presented by

Alex Wodak

Alex Wodak

Title: Michael Russell Award 2023

Recipient

Gerry Stimson

Gerry Stimson

Title: Michael Russell Award 2023

23 JUNE 2023

Day 3 - Keynote, plenaries and discussion sessions

Keynote 1: The politics of scientific publishing

Watch session video in: English, Russian and Spanish.

Manuscripts in peer-reviewed scientific journals are extremely important in establishing a company’s scientific credibility. This in turn enables engagement with regulators which is especially important ahead of regulatory approvals. Putting data out there for scrutiny by other stakeholders also improves credibility. Some tobacco companies have had great success, with hundreds of articles on reduced risk nicotine products published in a range of well-respected journals. But it’s getting harder. This talk aims to help industry up its game by setting the scene by examining the journal publishing sector’s key trends, looking at the challenges in getting quality work published and how to address these.

Keynote

Sarah Cooney

Sarah Cooney

Host

Harry Shapiro

Harry Shapiro

Respondent

Nick Crofts

Nick Crofts

Panel discussion 1: Ten years of science: what have we learned?

Watch session video in: English, Russian and Spanish.

Hosted by Marina Murphy, this panel of respected scientists will examine what we have learnt about new nicotine products and their efficacy in assisting smokers to transition away from more harmful consumption. In doing so they will look at the relative risks and how strong the evidence is for this, as well as addressing critiques of the origins of some research and methodologies used. How might a critical appraisal of the science inform policy-making and contribute to better personal and public health?

Host

Marina Murphy

Marina Murphy

Panellist

Bernd Mayer

Bernd Mayer

Panellist

Jasjit Ahluwalia

Jasjit Ahluwalia

Panellist

Amaliya Amaliya

Amaliya Amaliya

Panellist

Summer Hanna

Summer Hanna

Panel discussion 2: Inequality of access - how do we achieve a level playing field?

Hosted by David MacKintosh, within the context of the increased range of safer alternatives to smoking, this diverse panel will identify what prevents universal access. Whether this is driven by economic, political or cultural barriers, how can we achieve more equity? How can we educate and inform the actors involved - including consumers - about the opportunities new products present. How can science influence policy? What are the priorities for those working to develop tobacco harm reduction and who might be allies in the process?

Host

David MacKintosh

David MacKintosh

Panellist

Cheryl Olson

Cheryl Olson

Panellist

Michael Kariuki

Michael Kariuki

Panellist

Le Dinh Phuong

Le Dinh Phuong

Panellist

Kasia Kowalczyk

Kasia Kowalczyk

Panel discussion 3: Science, regulation and morality

Watch session video in: English, Russian and Spanish.

Hosted by Lindsey Stroud, this panel will consider the rapid evolution of the science of nicotine and how this relates to a number of regulatory and moral issues. Many in public health and the medical profession remain antipathetic to safe nicotine use, preferring an abstinence-based approach to transition smokers to non-smokers. Some see stricter regulation - including punitive taxation - as a way to achieve this. Often and nicotine use is conflated with smoking, changing the premise of the debate. Strong views, not always supported by the scientific evidence, often deflect from discussions about good policy and practice. How far should science influence regulation and what role - if any - does morality have to play?

Host

Lindsey Stroud

Lindsey Stroud

Panellist

Marewa Glover

Marewa Glover

Panellist

John Oyston

John Oyston

Panellist

Arielle Selya

Arielle Selya

Panellist

Kevin Garcia

Kevin Garcia

Panel discussion 4: The changing face of nicotine

Hosted by Michelle Minton, this panel will examine the changing ways in which nicotine is both considered and used. Traditionally associated almost exclusively with smoking and tobacco use, nicotine is increasingly accepted as having much wider uses, including its potential in the treatment of some medical conditions. Its effects on the brain - including during early-years’ development - are now the subject of much study and debate. Within this context, the panel will examine who uses nicotine, and why? Also, what are its potential uses and how might these be exploited in relation to improved health and well-being?

Host

Michelle Minton

Michelle Minton

Panellist

Paul Newhouse

Paul Newhouse

Panellist

Garrett McGovern

Garrett McGovern

Panellist

Carolyn Beaumont

Carolyn Beaumont

Panellist

Mark Oates

Mark Oates

Plenary discussion 1: Tobacco Harm Reduction: who has a stake in the game?

Watch session video in: English, Russian and Spanish.

This panel will comprise consumers, academics, manufacturers and distributors of safer nicotine products, policy analysts and others who lay claim to a stake in tobacco harm reduction. There will be no formal presentations, but the moderator will introduce some short clips from previous events to bring context to the proceedings, before inviting each of the panellists to make their claim for a stake, followed by discussion and debate involving the audience. Overall, the format will facilitate lively discussion and debate, involving the panel and the audience.

Host

Martin Cawley

Martin Cawley

Panellist

Moira Gilchrist

Moira Gilchrist

Panellist

Samrat Chowdhery

Samrat Chowdhery

Panellist

Fiona Patten

Fiona Patten

Panellist

Christopher Russell

Christopher Russell

24 JUNE 2023

Day 4 - Keynote, plenaries and conference closing

Keynote 2: The role of nicotinic systems in brain disorders

Watch session video in: English, Russian and Spanish.

While generally thought of as a substance of abuse, nicotine when separated from smoking and inhalation appears to have the potential for therapeutic properties for a range of cognitive and age-related disorders without significant abuse liability. Nicotine binds to multiple subtypes of nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the brain that modulate a variety of neuronal functions. Recent advances have expanded our understanding of how stimulation or blockade of nicotinic receptors affects brain activity, cortical networks, and behavior. This presentation will cover new advances in understanding the role of nicotinic receptor systems on brain function and explore the potential for therapeutic use of nicotine as a treatment or adjunct in the therapy of disorders such as late life depression, mild cognitive impairment, and related disorders of cognitive aging.

Keynote

Paul Newhouse

Paul Newhouse

Host

Sud Patwardhan

Sud Patwardhan

Respondent

Konstantinos Farsalinos

Konstantinos Farsalinos

Plenary discussion 2: The Tobacco Control playbook

Watch session video in: English, Russian and Spanish.

Hosted by Martin Cullip, this panel will examine some of the most contentious issues that have emerged as a result of the expansion in tobacco harm reduction over the past decade. Whilst accepted as a legitimate and effective public health strategy by many, there are those who regard it more as a threat and the product of attempts by ‘big tobacco’ to subvert traditional ways to tackle smoking and non-communicable diseases. It can be argued that there is more that actually unites than divides the various factions - not least an interest in improving personal and public health. The panel will discuss legitimate ways to have constructive dialogue and debate with those who hold opposing views, without resorting to often undignified and unjustified actions that, in some cases have led to personal and/or professional hardship and damage.

Host

Martin Cullip

Martin Cullip

Panellist

Gerry Stimson

Gerry Stimson

Panellist

Asa Saligupta

Asa Saligupta

Panellist

Nancy Loucas

Nancy Loucas

Panellist

Konstantinos Farsalinos

Konstantinos Farsalinos

Plenary discussion 3: Tobacco harm reduction - the next decade

Watch session video in: English, Russian and Spanish.

Hosted by Fiona Patten, this final panel is tasked with examining the content of this tenth GFN and teasing out what they believe will be the key issues in tobacco harm reduction for the coming decade. What will regulation look like? What new types of products might we look forward to? How will the political landscape develop, and will tobacco harm reduction continue to play a central role in public health policy? How will tobacco harm reduction per se develop as a discrete discipline within public health and who will be the leaders? Questions and contributions from the audience will be key to the proceedings.

Host

Fiona Patten

Fiona Patten

Panellist

Jonathan Fell

Jonathan Fell

Panellist

Joe Thompson

Joe Thompson

Panellist

Joel Sawa

Joel Sawa

Panellist

Colin Mendelsohn

Colin Mendelsohn

Closing remarks

Presented by

Paddy Costall

Paddy Costall