Saving Lives in Czechia: A Report by Global Health Experts

Can Czechia Become a Global Model for Tobacco Harm Reduction?
In the global fight against smoking-related diseases, combustible tobacco use still claims millions of lives every year.
An estimated 17,600 people die annually in Czechia due to smoking-related diseases, and with a smoking rate of over 26%, the situation calls for urgent action. Although standard tobacco control initiatives have made relative successes, a new intervention needs to be installed to accelerate change. Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) presents a promising solution, offering adults who smoke alternative products that deliver nicotine without the harmful effects of combustion.
This report by international and local experts outlines the possible impact of THR when combined with improved smoking cessation services and better treatments for lung cancer. If adopted, such strategies could save an estimated 280,000 lives in Czechia alone by 2060. Moreover, being among those few countries to have so far incorporated THR into the wider national strategy on harm reduction, Czechia could be a global model for THR.
This report takes an in-depth look at smoking trends, the benefits of THR products, and gives an overview of the actions needed to realise the life-saving potential of this approach.
Read the detailed report here: