Geneva, Switzerland – 25 February 2025 – The WHO Framework Conference on Tobacco Management (WHO FCTC) – probably the most broadly embraced UN treaties in historical past – celebrates the 20-year anniversary of its entry into pressure this week.
The WHO FCTC is the primary ever public well being treaty negotiated underneath the auspices of WHO with 183 Events to the Conference masking 90% of the worldwide inhabitants. The treaty offers a authorized framework and a complete bundle of evidence-based tobacco management measures underpinned by worldwide legislation which have saved thousands and thousands of lives together with giant pictorial well being warnings on cigarette packages, smoke free legal guidelines and elevated taxes on tobacco merchandise, amongst many others.
“Tobacco is a plague on humanity – the main reason behind preventable dying and illness globally,” stated Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-Common.
“Over the previous 20 years, for the reason that entry into pressure of the WHO FCTC and the MPOWER technical bundle that helps it, world tobacco use prevalence has dropped by one-third. The WHO FCTC has helped to avoid wasting thousands and thousands of lives via strengthened tobacco management measures around the globe. The Conference marks a milestone in public well being and worldwide legislation. We proceed to name on international locations to additional strengthen and implement its measures, and for international locations that haven’t but ratified the WHO FCTC to take action.”
Since its implementation 20 years in the past, as much as 5.6 billion individuals are actually coated by no less than one tobacco management coverage in step with the treaty and research have proven a decline in world smoking charges.
A complete of 138 international locations require giant pictorial well being warnings on cigarettes packages on account of the Conference and dozens extra international locations have carried out plain packaging guidelines on cigarette packages which require a regular form and look with out branding, design or a brand on cigarette packages. Each measures function highly effective instruments to scale back tobacco consumption and warn customers in regards to the risks of tobacco use.
Over 1 / 4 of the world’s inhabitants is now coated by smoke free insurance policies which require bans in indoor and workspaces, saving thousands and thousands of lives from the risks of the second-hand smoke.
Greater than 66 international locations have carried out bans on tobacco promoting, promotion and sponsorship. (TAPS) which embody bans on tobacco promoting within the media and sponsorship offers whereas it’s essential extra international locations do the identical.
Marking the FCTC twentieth anniversary on the regional stage, Dr Hanan Balkhy, the WHO Regional Director for the Jap Mediterranean stated:
Right now we mark the twentieth anniversary of the WHO Framework Conference for Tobacco Management (FCTC)—a historic milestone in public well being and the primary worldwide well being treaty of its type. 19 international locations within the Jap Mediterranean area are Events to this landmark conference. The implementation of the WHO FCTC and the MPOWER technical bundle have been essential to controlling tobacco use in our area, however extra must be performed to avoid wasting lives. In an effort to obtain the worldwide goal of a 30% discount by 2030, we should intensify our collective efforts and take daring choices that drive implementation despite any resistance by the tobacco business.
The WHO FCTC has additionally been instrumental in establishing authorized defences within the face of an aggressive tobacco business that spends tens of billions of {dollars} to advertise their merchandise and actively undermine efforts at tobacco management together with the implementation of the WHO FCTC itself.
Dr Adriana Blanco Marquizo, Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC stated: ‘’The tobacco business is a lethal business behind the tobacco epidemic, now making an attempt to place itself as a part of the answer whereas actively derailing efforts at tobacco management which may save thousands and thousands extra lives.
“The WHO FCTC equips Events with a complete set of measures to guard populations from the business’s ever-evolving techniques—designed to revenue at the price of individuals’s lives and the well being of our planet and we name on Events to stay ever watchful towards its predatory techniques.”
The tobacco burden
Tobacco use is a serious driver of noncommunicable ailments (NCDs), inflicting untimely dying and incapacity. Tobacco-related diseases result in catastrophic well being expenditures, notably for the poor, trapping households in a cycle of poverty. People who smoke usually tend to be meals insecure than non- people who smoke, together with in wealthier international locations. Furthermore, tobacco cultivation eats up giant swaths of land which may in any other case help sustainable meals manufacturing methods.
Tobacco manufacturing additional depletes important assets reminiscent of land and water, diverting them from sustainable meals manufacturing. Moreover, trillions of discarded plastic cigarette butts pollute ecosystems yearly, additional harming the planet.
The tobacco business continues to undermine public well being efforts, aggressively concentrating on youth via advertising, lobbying towards tobacco management insurance policies, and positioning itself as a part of the answer to the issue it created.
Dr Blanco Marquizo, added: “Whereas there have been these nice strides in tobacco management, there’s a lengthy approach to go. The tobacco business continues to kill thousands and thousands of individuals per 12 months and its socio-economic burdens trigger strains on total populations.
“We name on international locations to totally implement the measures of the WHO FCTC, together with by rising tobacco taxes, implementing smoke free legal guidelines, imposing complete promoting and sponsorship bans and by prohibiting and regulating elements that type tobacco merchandise, and appearing to deal with the challenges introduced by new and rising tobacco and nicotine merchandise. Via these measures we will save the lives of thousands and thousands extra individuals globally. We name on international locations to redouble their efforts and be sure that tobacco management stays a public well being and growth precedence.
Dr Reina Roa, President of the Convention of the Events (COP), the governing physique of the WHO FCTC, added: “The WHO FCTC represents one of many best achievements within the historical past of public well being. I’ve witnessed its influence since its inception, and as President of its COP. I proceed to see how this treaty offers international locations with the required instruments to guard their populations from the devastating tobacco epidemic. We have a good time 20 years of progress, dedication, and lives saved because of the WHO Framework Conference on Tobacco Management. Completely satisfied anniversary to the WHO FCTC.”
Notes to editors
Journalists who want to study extra or arrange interviews with the Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC, Dr Adriana Blanco Marquizo can contact
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An occasion to mark the 20-year anniversary of the entry into pressure of the WHO Framework Conference on Tobacco Management will probably be held on Thursday, 27 February at 15:00 CET and will probably be dwell streamed right here. The long-lasting Jet D’eau in Geneva, Switzerland will probably be additional lit up within the colors of the WHO FCTC on the day of the occasion to mark the anniversary.
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