After six days of intense debates, the 11th Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) concluded this Saturday in Geneva, marking a milestone in the global fight against tobacco. With participation from over 1,600 representatives of governments, civil organizations, and youth, the event ended with a package of decisions that redefine priorities in public health, environment, and corporate responsibility.
Focusing on the environmental impact of tobacco and nicotine products, delegates made an urgent call for countries to move towards comprehensive regulation of the components of these products, as well as associated electronic devices. Participants emphasized the need to reduce the polluting footprint of tobacco, highlighting its relationship to public health.
Furthermore, the commitment to mobilize internal resources to ensure sustainable and predictable funding for national tobacco control programs was reaffirmed. In a significant change, Parties agreed to strengthen the implementation of the FCTC article that aims to enforce legal measures holding the tobacco industry accountable for the harm it causes to health and the environment.
Andrew Black, the Acting Secretary of the FCTC, stated that these decisions will help save millions of lives and protect the planet from the environmental damage caused by tobacco. In a decisive move, the Conference also decided to ban the use and sale of tobacco products, including heated and emerging products, in all UN system facilities worldwide.
Attendees also discussed strategies to combat tobacco industry interference, especially regarding the promotion of emerging products with unproven health claims, reinforcing the need to rigorously enforce the treaty that prohibits such actions.
via: MiMub in Spanish
