WHO warns tobacco industry stepping up efforts to undermine 11th convention

WHO’s tobacco control secretariat is alerting governments and the public to remain vigilant against the industry’s tactics and misinformation.

Ahead of the 11th Convention (COP11) on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the secretariat for the negotiations has issued a warning about big tobacco’s attempts to weaken global tobacco control efforts.

“With strategies varying from lobbying to outright attempts to manipulate delegations, the tobacco industry’s tactics are a cause for serious concern,” said Acting Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC, Andrew Black.

Article 5.3 of the FCTC sets a clear commitment for parties to limit their engagement with the industry and to insist on transparency when they do interact. There should be no influence on policy-making or public health, but the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index (Global Tobacco Index) survey from 2023 showed a worsening trend with 43 countries deteriorating in their scores.

‘Big tobacco’ takes a multi-faceted approach. Sometimes front groups from trade, science, or consumer groups are used to influence views indirectly. Economic narratives are another familiar tactic, often involving misleading claims about jobs, farming, and tax revenues. Co-opting participants or attempting to gain observer status are additional tools.

“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,” said Black.

COP11 will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 17-22 November. Parties will consider a wide range of measures shaping the future of the WHO FCTC and its role in combating the global tobacco epidemic. It will be followed by the fourth meeting of the parties (MOP4) which represents the 71 signatories to the ‘Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products’, an international treaty that entered into force in 2018.