Sweden's harm reduction strategy to combat smoking-related deaths and improve public health is an inspiring model that has saved millions of lives. Sweden’s result towards achieving a smoke-free society is a success story and an exemplary model for countries around the world, especially in Africa, to adopt in their ongoing efforts towards reducing the health impact of smoking.
More than 8 million deaths are reported globally every year due to the tobacco epidemic. In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), 19% of adults (approximately 92 million people) are current tobacco users. Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and their partial guidelines, aim to assist Member States in strengthening their tobacco control policies by regulating the contents and emissions of tobacco products and enhancing tobacco product disclosures. However, Member States need to understand the importance of these Articles and how to adapt, implement and evaluate them.
The World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s (FCTC) Conference of Parties (COP10) was due to take place in Panama at the end of this month. It was set to force more anti-vape measures onto countries following secret talks, but organisers have decided to postpone the event to 2024 due to a three-week old demonstration about copper mining.
The Tenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and the Third session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP3) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products have been postponed to 2024.
Three leading tobacco harm reduction experts join us to give their predictions, hopes and fears for the Tenth Conference of the Parties of the FCTC, which was due to take place on 20 November 2023 before being postponed at the eleventh hour.
The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) has released a new Briefing Paper looking at tobacco harm reduction consumer advocacy groups - and notes their exclusion from COP10. The COP10 conference was due to take place in Panama this month but has now been postponed to 2024.
"So little is published about the grassroots groups which advocate for tobacco harm reduction, but as our briefing paper shows, there is much to be said," Jessica Harding, director of external engagement at the public health group Knowledge-Action-Change, told Filter.
Tobacco industry interference in governments’ tobacco control policies has increased in 43 out of 90 countries analysed over the past two years. This is according to the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023 released on Tuesday by tobacco watchdog STOP, and the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC).
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