In the Media
Press, interviews & op-eds
HRPR builds on over a decade of work by its founder, Samrat Chowdhery, in the tobacco harm reduction debate — through journalism, consumer advocacy, and policy research.
Research & policy publications
Why Bans in Low & Middle Income Countries Don't Work
In this INNCO policy report responding to a proposal for blanket bans on safer nicotine products across the developing world, Samrat Chowdhery's foreword argues that such prohibition amounts to a form of policy paternalism that ignores local realities and consumer rights. The report's launch was covered by Filter and Yahoo Finance.
Burning Issues: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2020
Samrat Chowdhery wrote the foreword to this biennial global report from Knowledge-Action-Change, which tracks the adoption of safer nicotine products and harm reduction policy worldwide.
Finding common ground on shifting sands
A published response in BMJ's Tobacco Control journal, arguing that framing the global tobacco epidemic as purely industry-made overlooks the dominant role of non-industrial products like bidis and smokeless tobacco in countries such as India.
Press & media mentions
The New York Times: coverage of India's e-cigarette ban
International coverage of India's 2019 ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, and the response from consumer advocates.
India's Vape Crusaders
A Livemint profile on the early consumer movement pushing back against state-level vaping bans in India, and the case for harm reduction over prohibition.
India says e-cigarette ban implies use of devices also prohibited
Reuters coverage of a government court filing suggesting personal use of e-cigarettes was also barred; Samrat Chowdhery argued this contradicted the Health Ministry's earlier public assurances.
HC stays state move to ban e-cigarettes, orders FDA to release seized products
Coverage of the Bombay High Court's stay on Maharashtra's state-level e-cigarette ban, ordering the FDA to release seized stock.
Video interview on tobacco harm reduction in India
Samrat Chowdhery discusses the state of tobacco harm reduction policy in India.
Outlook India: Which Ban Has Worked In India?
Samrat Chowdhery spoke to Outlook on India's e-cigarette ban, arguing that prohibition pushes users toward unregulated products rather than reducing harm.
GFN·TV: Does India Have a Vape Misinformation Problem?
A video interview discussing the origins of India's vape ban, WHO influence on Indian health policy, and low nicotine literacy among doctors.
APN News: Samrat Chowdhery appointed as INNCO President
Coverage of the INNCO appointment, describing Samrat Chowdhery's advocacy on consumer representation in global tobacco policy discussions.
Uniquely Deadly
A feature on smokeless tobacco in India, drawing on Samrat Chowdhery's estimates of SLT-linked mortality and the conditions behind India's illicit and informal tobacco trade.
How Far Can India's Vape Ban Go?
Comment from Samrat Chowdhery on a stricter reinterpretation of India's vape ban and the possibility of a legal challenge.
Op-eds & bylines
Dealing with Gutkha Menace
Co-written with Derek Yach — former WHO Executive Director for Noncommunicable Diseases who led development of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control — this piece uses a 2026 government working paper to show India's gutkha ban has failed: rural household use rose from 5.3% to 30.4% between 2011 and 2024, and the authors argue for harm reduction over prohibition.
Harm Reduction Experts Warn: FCTC COP11 Policies Risk Marginalizing the Global South
Co-written with Joseph Magero, Chair of the Campaign for Safer Alternatives, ahead of COP11 in Geneva — arguing that high-income-country policy proposals ignore LMIC funding and research gaps, and calling for a more equitable global support mechanism. Also published in Chinese on 2Firsts CN.
Tobacco Price Elasticity: A Convenient Myth?
An argument that steep tobacco tax hikes often fuel illicit trade and smuggling rather than reducing consumption as intended.
Tobacco Farming in the New Nicotine Era: Why Indian Farmers Struggle to Transition
A proposal for helping Indian tobacco farmers extract pharmaceutical-grade nicotine from crop waste, integrating them into the modern nicotine supply chain rather than pursuing unfeasible crop substitution.
India's Vape Ban: A Case Study in Unintended Consequences
Five years on from India's vape ban, Samrat Chowdhery examines the growth of illicit trade and lost tax revenue, and calls for regulation over prohibition.
A Perfect Storm
An account of how India arrived at its current ban on safer nicotine alternatives, and the case for reversing course. Also discussed on the GFN News podcast.
India Doubles Down on Vape Ban With Research and Media Censorship
A look at how India has restricted research and media discussion of tobacco harm reduction in the years since its 2019 vape ban.
India Scored A Self-Goal With Its E-Cigarette Ban
An early assessment of the vape ban's effects, questioning the evidence base the government cited in enacting it.
Smoke and mirrors: Why TN must reverse ban on e-cigarettes
A case for Tamil Nadu to reconsider its state-level ban on e-cigarettes, examining the public health rationale behind the policy.