The Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) accused the tobacco industry of ramping up efforts to interfere with international tobacco control policymaking in advance of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) beginning November 17 in Geneva, according to the Albanian Daily News (ADN). Andrew Black, acting head of the WHO FCTC Secretariat, condemned what he described as deliberate attempts to weaken global health measures.
“With strategies varying from lobbying to outright attempts to manipulate delegations, the tobacco industry’s tactics are a cause for serious concern,” Black was quoted by the ADN. “This is not just lobbying; it is a deliberate strategy to try to derail consensus and weaken measures to further the treaty’s implementation. Tobacco industry interference is one of the biggest constraints and barriers to the implementation of the Convention. The Secretariat strongly urges Parties, civil society, and other stakeholders working to support tobacco control to remain vigilant against the industry’s tactics and misinformation.”
The COP11 session will bring together representatives from across the globe to discuss new policies to curb nicotine addiction, protect human health, and address environmental harms linked to tobacco.
