Harm Reduction Issues
Tobacco Harm Reduction
Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) is an evidence-based approach that reduces the health risks caused by smoking combustible cigarettes. Rather than requiring people to quit nicotine entirely, THR focuses on lowering exposure to the most harmful aspects of tobacco use — especially combustion.
THR recognizes tobacco and nicotine products exist on a spectrum of risk. Switching from combustible cigarettes to lower-risk options, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other non-combustible products, can significantly reduce harm. By meeting people where they are, correcting misinformation, and respecting individual goals, THR supports people who use drugs and all people in making informed decisions that improve health without judgment or punishment.
People who use drugs smoke at higher rates than the general population and experience disproportionate tobacco-related illness and death, yet tobacco use is often ignored in harm reduction and substance use treatment settings, leaving many without accurate information or access to safer alternatives.
Nicotine: What the Research Tells Us
Nicotine is a naturally occurring chemical produced in the roots of the tobacco plant. While nicotine has a high dependency potential, it is the many other chemicals in combustible tobacco products that cause the most harm.
