Tobacco Industry Interference Alert: TIIDWI 006

As the world prepares to mark World No Tobacco Day 2025 on May 31st, a new front in the battle against tobacco industry interference is emerging. Under our flagship project, Tobacco Industry Interference Digital Watch Initiative (TIIDWI), we have uncovered a subtle yet potent strategy: the co-opting of ex-smokers to legitimize and promote tobacco harm reduction (THR) products under the guise of “lived experience.” This tactic, while seemingly grassroots, is deeply rooted in corporate strategy — one that seeks to rebrand nicotine products as tools of salvation rather than instruments of addiction.

The Rise of the “Lived Experience” Narrative

In the evolving landscape of tobacco control, the industry’s tactics have become increasingly sophisticated. A notable strategy involves leveraging the personal stories of ex-smokers to promote tobacco harm reduction (THR) products. While these narratives can be powerful tools for public health advocacy, there is growing concern that they are being co-opted to serve industry interests, potentially undermining efforts to reduce tobacco-related harm This approach can become a Trojan horse.

The tobacco industry has begun recruiting or amplifying the voices of former smokers who now advocate for nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products. These individuals often present themselves as independent advocates for harm reduction, but the line between personal advocacy and corporate influence is increasingly blurred.

Are Ex-Smokers Being Used?

Some of these ex-smokers may be genuinely motivated by their personal journeys to quit smoking. They believe in the potential of tobacco harm reduction (THR) products to save lives. However, others may be knowingly or unknowingly echoing industry narratives, effectively becoming ambassadors for companies whose profits rely on sustained nicotine addiction.

In a recent blog post , Skip Murray criticized anti-THR advocates including our CPO Oduor Kevin for “thwarting” lived experience narrative. While her piece is passionate, it fails to acknowledge the tobacco industry’s long-standing manipulation tactics — from funding front groups to sponsoring misleading research. The danger does not lie in lived experience itself, but in its weaponization by an industry that consistently prioritizes profit over public health. Murray appears to promote the lived experience approach in THR, seemingly unaware that she is inadvertently supporting an industry that thrives on confusion and misinformation.

The Role of Digital Platforms

Platforms like LinkedIn have become battlegrounds for this narrative. Recently, posts by our CPO have attracted comments from individuals who identify as ex-smokers and claim that nicotine products have saved their lives. It is disheartening to see someone who once struggled with smoking now proclaim that nicotine is their savior. Nicotine is not saving them — they are merely switching addictions.

One of the comments from a LinkedIn user (Richard Pruen stated:

“Oduor Kevin so you suggest I am a tobacco industry ally because vaping saved my life, and I like to tell people in the situation I was in, because it might help them too? I would suggest you have become too detached from the people you say you represent, if you won’t even listen to us, then how will you know what works. Did you ever smoke cigarettes or vape?…”

We cannot determine whether Richard is acting independently or not. However, what is clear is that the industry is benefiting from this surge in support for vaping, especially from those who identify as ex-smokers. With all due respect, individuals like Richard Pruen must be approached with caution, as their true allegiance to tobacco control efforts remains uncertain.

Joseph Magero, Chairperson of the Campaign for Safer Alternatives (CASA) and a self-declared ex-smoker, also passionately supports the lived experience approach in THR. He stated (See Magero’s comments here):

“Personal experience matters. Safer alternatives helped me quit smoking after years of failed attempts. I know first-hand how important it is for smokers to have practical, effective tools to escape deadly cigarettes. I will not apologize for sharing my story, and I will not stop fighting for the millions of Kenyans who deserve accurate information and better options.”

Magero and other THR advocates often frame nicotine alternatives as life-saving innovations, yet they rarely address the broader implications of promoting these products in low- and middle-income countries like Kenya, where regulatory frameworks are still developing.

The Real Agenda

Let’s be clear: the tobacco industry’s goal is not to end smoking — it’s to sustain nicotine addiction in any form. By promoting THR through seemingly independent voices, they gain credibility, deflect regulation, and delay meaningful tobacco control policies.

This strategy is especially dangerous in regions like Africa, where regulatory frameworks are still evolving. The industry’s push for THR is not about saving lives — it’s about expanding markets.

Call to Action: Reclaim the Narrative

As we approach World No Tobacco Day 2025, we must:

• Educate ex-smokers and THR advocates about the risks of being co-opted by industry.
• Expose the financial and strategic links between THR narratives and tobacco companies.
• Empower communities to demand transparency and accountability from all public health voices.
• Engage policymakers to strengthen regulations on all nicotine products, not just cigarettes.

Let’s ensure that lived experience remains a tool for truth, not tobacco.

#WNTD2025KE #WCTC2025 #TIIDWI2025