Tobacco Harm Reduction & Smoking Cessation: A Guide for Community Health Workers

Tobacco Harm Reduction & Smoking Cessation: A Guide for Community Health Workers is a practical, plain-language educational resource developed to support community health workers in discussing smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction with people in their communities.

The guide explains why smoking is harmful, the role of combustion in tobacco-related disease, the principles of tobacco harm reduction, and the relative risks of different nicotine products. It also provides practical information on nicotine replacement therapy, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, snus and heated tobacco products; addresses common myths and misconceptions; outlines the health benefits of quitting; and introduces brief smoking-cessation approaches including the 5 A's and strategies for managing cravings and relapse.

Additional sections provide guidance for supporting pregnant women, young people, and people living with conditions such as tuberculosis, HIV, diabetes, heart disease and mental health conditions, including situations requiring referral to a healthcare professional.

The guide was developed by Omolola Fasheun with funding from Knowledge·Action·Change (K·A·C) through the Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme. It is intended as an educational resource and does not replace national clinical guidelines or advice from qualified health professionals.