WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Difference between revisions

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=Overview=
=Overview=
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization. The WHO FCTC is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health. The WHO FCTC represents a paradigm shift in developing a regulatory strategy to address addictive substances; in contrast to previous drug control treaties, the WHO FCTC asserts the importance of demand reduction strategies as well as supply issues.
The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control ([https://www.who.int/fctc/en/ WHO FCTC]) is a treaty adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland on 21 May 2003. It became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution. The treaty came into force on 27 February 2005. It had been signed by 168 countries and is legally binding in 181 ratifying countries. There are currently 15 United Nations member states that are non-parties to the treaty (nine which have not signed and six of which have signed but not ratified).


The WHO FCTC was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic. The spread of the tobacco epidemic is facilitated through a variety of complex factors with cross-border effects, including trade liberalization and direct foreign investment. Other factors such as global marketing, transnational tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and the international movement of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes have also contributed to the explosive increase in tobacco use.
For some background to the establishment see [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449287/ Origins of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control]


The core demand reduction provisions in the WHO FCTC are contained in articles 6-14:
The FCTC, one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United Nations history, is a supranational agreement that seeks "to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke" by enacting a set of universal standards stating the dangers of tobacco and limiting its use in all forms worldwide. To this end, the treaty's provisions include rules that govern the production, sale, distribution, advertisement, and taxation of tobacco. FCTC standards are, however, minimum requirements, and signatories are encouraged to be even more stringent in regulating tobacco than the treaty requires them to be.


• Price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco, and
=[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564445/ The Fourth Pillar of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Harm Reduction and the International Human Right to Health]=
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), while successful in its execution, fails to acknowledge the harm reduction strategies necessary to help those incapable of breaking their dependence on tobacco. Based on the human right to health embodied in Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, this article contends that international law supports a harm reduction approach to tobacco control. Analyzing the right to health as an autonomy-enhancing right, countries must prioritize health interventions to promote those treatments most likely to increase autonomy among those least able to control their own health behaviors. Harm reduction can involve the use of novel, purportedly less hazardous tobacco products. By dissociating nicotine from the ancillary carbon monoxide and myriad carcinogens of smoking, these tobacco harm-reduction products may allow the individual smoker to retain addictive behaviors while limiting their concomitant harms. These less hazardous products, while not offering the preferred benefits of abstaining from tobacco entirely, might nevertheless become a viable strategy for buttressing individual autonomy in controlling health outcomes. Working through the FCTC framework, countries can create the international regulatory and research capacity necessary to assess harm-reduction products and programs.


• Non-price measures to reduce the demand for tobacco, namely:
=[https://www.clivebates.com/who-tobacco-meeting-could-the-fctc-do-something-useful-on-vaping/ The FCTC would best serve public health by doing some or all of the following]=
Excellent piece from The Counterfactual by Clive Bates as he explains: Options for WHO FCTC involvement in ENDS to be positive for global public health


* Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke;
= Latest News and Reports =
*Regulation of the contents of tobacco products;
*Regulation of tobacco product disclosures;
*Packaging and labelling of tobacco products;
*Education, communication, training and public awareness;
*Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and,
*Demand reduction measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation.


The core supply reduction provisions in the WHO FCTC are contained in articles 15-17:  
==== The FCTC has failed to make measurable progress on its core mission, to reduce smoking. Indeed smoking rates have increased by 500 cigarettes per person in many LMICs (Acording to this report https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l2287) . ====


* Illicit trade in tobacco products;
*Sales to and by minors; and,
*Provision of support for economically viable alternative activities.


The WHO FCTC opened for signature on 16 June to 22 June 2003 in Geneva, and thereafter at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Depositary of the treaty, from 30 June 2003 to 29 June 2004. The treaty, which is now closed for signature, has 168 Signatories, including the European Community, which makes it one of the most widely embraced treaties in UN history. Member States that have signed the Convention indicate that they will strive in good faith to ratify, accept, or approve it, and show political commitment not to undermine the objectives set out in it. Countries wishing to become a Party, but that did not sign the Convention by 29 June 2004, may do so by means of accession, which is a one-step process equivalent to ratification.  
Something clearly needs to be done differently. Embracing THR would likely help, but institutional change is required before this can happen. Pressure is being put on UK and NZ particularly, to both use their influence to change the direction of the WHO. The UK is uniquely placed to apply leverage, as a major funder of the FCTC operation, to the tune of £4 million<ref>{{Cite web|URL=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tobacco-control-measures-overseas|title=Tobacco control measures overseas|date=22 Aug 2017|website=gov.co.uk|last=UK Government|url-status=live|publisher=UK Government Department for Health and Social Care}}</ref> per year. In addition the UK Government has provided staff (on secondment) and additional grants to the WHO for the FCTC. <references />


The Convention entered into force on 27 February 2005 - 90 days after it had been acceded to, ratified, accepted, or approved by 40 States.
==== October 8th 2023 ====
 
The agenda for COP10 in Panama has been published - you can access the files here - "https://storage.googleapis.com/who-fctc-cop10/Main%20documents/index.html"
 
[[Category:Regulations]]
=Options for WHO FCTC involvement in ENDS to be positive for global public health=
[[Category:Tobacco control groups]]
 
[https://www.clivebates.com/who-tobacco-meeting-could-the-fctc-do-something-useful-on-vaping/ The FCTC would best serve public health by doing some or all of the following:]
 
*'''Recognise the opportunity, not just a threat'''. <ref name="Clive Bates">https://www.clivebates.com/who-tobacco-meeting-could-the-fctc-do-something-useful-on-vaping/</ref>
** ENDS do not pose a threat to tobacco control but a huge opertunity.
 
*'''Call for more research and of higher quality'''. <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
**Research to date is lacking in both quality and quantity
 
*'''Make more of TobReg for scientific assessment'''. <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Refashion the surveillance system to reflect changes in the nicotine market.''' <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Track and summarise the evolving policy environment'''. <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Promote high quality regulation and standard-setting by Parties'''. <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Focus on the relationship between the state and citizen'''. <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Improve the tone and be more inclusive'''.  <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Reframe the UN/WHA non-communicable disease targets.''' <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Reshape the FCTC to recognise the range of risk within tobacco products.''' <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Let FCTC Parties learn from ENDS and other harm reduction policies before bringing into the FCTC'''.  <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>
*'''Focus on obligation to ‘do no harm’ and the dangers of unintended consequences.''' <ref name="Clive Bates"></ref>

Latest revision as of 14:00, 2 August 2023

Overview

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland on 21 May 2003. It became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution. The treaty came into force on 27 February 2005. It had been signed by 168 countries and is legally binding in 181 ratifying countries. There are currently 15 United Nations member states that are non-parties to the treaty (nine which have not signed and six of which have signed but not ratified).

For some background to the establishment see Origins of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

The FCTC, one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United Nations history, is a supranational agreement that seeks "to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke" by enacting a set of universal standards stating the dangers of tobacco and limiting its use in all forms worldwide. To this end, the treaty's provisions include rules that govern the production, sale, distribution, advertisement, and taxation of tobacco. FCTC standards are, however, minimum requirements, and signatories are encouraged to be even more stringent in regulating tobacco than the treaty requires them to be.

The Fourth Pillar of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Harm Reduction and the International Human Right to Health

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), while successful in its execution, fails to acknowledge the harm reduction strategies necessary to help those incapable of breaking their dependence on tobacco. Based on the human right to health embodied in Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, this article contends that international law supports a harm reduction approach to tobacco control. Analyzing the right to health as an autonomy-enhancing right, countries must prioritize health interventions to promote those treatments most likely to increase autonomy among those least able to control their own health behaviors. Harm reduction can involve the use of novel, purportedly less hazardous tobacco products. By dissociating nicotine from the ancillary carbon monoxide and myriad carcinogens of smoking, these tobacco harm-reduction products may allow the individual smoker to retain addictive behaviors while limiting their concomitant harms. These less hazardous products, while not offering the preferred benefits of abstaining from tobacco entirely, might nevertheless become a viable strategy for buttressing individual autonomy in controlling health outcomes. Working through the FCTC framework, countries can create the international regulatory and research capacity necessary to assess harm-reduction products and programs.

The FCTC would best serve public health by doing some or all of the following

Excellent piece from The Counterfactual by Clive Bates as he explains: Options for WHO FCTC involvement in ENDS to be positive for global public health

Latest News and Reports

The FCTC has failed to make measurable progress on its core mission, to reduce smoking. Indeed smoking rates have increased by 500 cigarettes per person in many LMICs (Acording to this report https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l2287) .

Something clearly needs to be done differently. Embracing THR would likely help, but institutional change is required before this can happen. Pressure is being put on UK and NZ particularly, to both use their influence to change the direction of the WHO. The UK is uniquely placed to apply leverage, as a major funder of the FCTC operation, to the tune of £4 million[1] per year. In addition the UK Government has provided staff (on secondment) and additional grants to the WHO for the FCTC.

  1. ^ UK Government (22 Aug 2017). "Tobacco control measures overseas". gov.co.uk. UK Government Department for Health and Social Care.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

October 8th 2023

The agenda for COP10 in Panama has been published - you can access the files here - "https://storage.googleapis.com/who-fctc-cop10/Main%20documents/index.html"

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