Public Health

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) – one of the most widely embraced UN treaties in history – celebrate[d] the 20-year anniversary of its entry into force [last month]

First ever WHO treaty marks 20 years of saving millions of lives worldwideThe WHO FCTC is the first ever public health treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO with 183 Parties to the Convention covering 90% of the global population. The treaty provides a legal framework and a comprehensive package of evidence-based tobacco control measures underpinned by international law that have saved millions of lives including large pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages, smoke free laws and increased taxes on tobacco products, among many others.

“Tobacco is a plague on humanity – the leading cause of preventable death and disease globally,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“Over the past two decades, since the entry into force of the WHO FCTC and the MPOWER technical package that supports it, global tobacco use prevalence has dropped by one-third. The WHO FCTC has helped to save millions of lives through strengthened tobacco control measures around the world. The Convention marks a milestone in public health and international law. We continue to call on countries to further strengthen and implement its measures, and for countries that have not yet ratified the WHO FCTC to do so.”

First ever WHO treaty marks 20 years of saving millions of lives worldwideSince its implementation 20 years ago, up to 5.6 billion people are now covered by at least one tobacco control policy in line with the treaty and studies have shown a decline in global smoking rates.