The 20th anniversary of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: hard won progress amid evolving challenges

Abstract

World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2023, marks the 20th anniversary of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Adopted in May, 2003, member states committed to stem an alarming rise in tobacco-related deaths worldwide, predicted to rise from 5 million to 10 million deaths by 2020 if no action was taken. 1 WHOWorld Health Assembly adopts historic tobacco control pact. https://www.who.int/news/item/21-05-2003-world-health-assembly-adopts-historic-tobacco-control-pactDate: May 21, 2003 Date accessed: May 22, 2023 Google Scholar In 2021, about 8 million deaths were attributable to tobacco use. 2 Vital StrategiesTobacco atlas, 7th edition. https://tobaccoatlas.org/Date: 2021 Date accessed: May 22, 2023 Google Scholar Although still unacceptably high, despite a 1·7 billion rise in global population, this burden of tobacco deaths was a 40% lower increase than projected before the introduction of the FCTC. Proposed to WHO in 1995 by scholars Ruth Roemer, Allyn Taylor, 3 Roemer R Taylor A Lariviere J Origins of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Am J Public Health. 2005; 95: 936-938 Crossref PubMed Scopus (130) Google Scholar and their colleagues, supported by civil society, underpinned by World Bank analysis, 4 Jha P Chaloupka F Curbing the epidemic, governments and the economics of tobacco control. World Bank, Washington, DC1999 Google Scholar legitimised by revelations from internal tobacco industry documents, 5 National Association of Attorneys GeneralThe Master Settlement Agreement. https://www.naag.org/our-work/naag-center-for-tobacco-and-public-health/the-master-settlement-agreement/#:~:text=Under%20the%20MSA%2C%20tobacco%20manufacturers,certain%20such%20payments%20are%20madeDate accessed: May 22, 2023 Google Scholar and championed by the WHO Director-General at the time Gro Harlem Brundtland, the FCTC is the first and only treaty to be negotiated to date under the auspices of WHO. It became one of the most widely embraced treaties in UN history: 182 states parties have acceded to the treaty, covering more than 90% of the world's population.