POSTPONED: PRESS RELEASE: Webinar Announcement: Inside the FCTC: Calls for Reform from Former WHO Experts at COP11

The event has been postponed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lindsey Stroud Email: info@thr101.org  Website: www.THR101.org

Webinar Announcement: Inside the FCTC: Calls for Reform from Former WHO Experts at COP11

FLORIDA, USA – May 5, 2025 – Tobacco Harm Reduction 101 (THR101) is pleased to announce its upcoming webinar, Inside the FCTC: Calls for Reform from Former WHO Experts at COP11, taking place on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 11am GMT / 7am ET. The event will feature globally recognized public health leaders Dr. Ziauddin Islam and Dr. Derek Yach, with Lindsey Stroud, creator and manager of THR101, serving as moderator.

Dr. Ziauddin Islam previously served as Technical Head of Pakistan’s Tobacco Control Cell (2009–2021) and was the national focal point for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). He holds an MBBS from the University of Sindh, an MSc in Health Economics from the Karolinska Institute, and a postgraduate qualification in medical education from the University of Dundee. He was also a research scholar at Johns Hopkins University's Institute for Global Tobacco Control.

Dr. Islam on the importance of harm reduction:"As we approach COP 11 of the WHO FCTC in Geneva this year, it’s time to re-embrace Article 1(d) of FCTC on harm reduction. With 8 million annual tobacco-related deaths globally, evidence-based alternatives like vaping and nicotine pouches can save lives. Let’s move beyond ineffective, one-size-fits all policies, and prioritize both nation’s sovereignty and smokers’ rights to safer options. Extend MPOWER to MPOWER PLUS, integrating harm reduction to save lives with evidence-based alternatives."

Dr. Derek Yach is a veteran global health advocate with over 35 years of experience. He is the founder and former president of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, an independent nonprofit working to accelerate the end of smoking and support farmers transitioning from tobacco. He previously held key leadership roles at the World Health Organization—where he led the development of the FCTC—as well as PepsiCo, the Rockefeller Foundation, Yale University, and the Vitality Group. Dr. Yach has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications in global health and holds an MPH from Johns Hopkins, an MBChB from the University of Cape Town, and a BSc Hons in Epidemiology from the University of Stellenbosch.

Dr. Yach on the future of global tobacco control:"United Nations global targets to cut deaths from cancer, heart and lung diseases have no chance of being met unless tobacco harm reduction products are made available to the over 1 billion people who smoke or use toxic forms of smokeless tobacco products. This should be the top priority of WHO's efforts to implement the FCTC."

Lindsey Stroud has worked in tobacco harm reduction policy since 2016 and regularly advises policymakers at the local, state, federal, and international levels. She leads THR101, a platform dedicated to raising awareness and promoting dialogue around the science and policy of harm reduction.

The webinar will feature opening presentations from Dr. Islam and Dr. Yach, followed by a moderated panel discussion and live Q&A. Attendees will be encouraged to actively participate and pose questions during the event.

Media Availability: Dr. Islam and Dr. Yach are available for individual interviews following the webinar. To schedule, please contact Lindsey Stroud at info@thr101.org.

Register: https://bit.ly/3SnMqXK