WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

Summary

The video script discusses the global efforts to combat tobacco use, highlighting the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. It emphasizes the treaty's role in creating tobacco-free environments and reducing demand and supply of tobacco products. The script also touches on the importance of health warnings on cigarette packs and the challenges faced by tobacco-producing countries like Malawi in finding alternatives. The WHO's call for countries to prioritize the convention in controlling the tobacco epidemic and the potential for a new treaty on illicit trade are also mentioned.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Countries worldwide are actively working to create tobacco-free environments and implement anti-tobacco initiatives to protect public health.
• 📜 The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which came into force in 2005, provides a legal basis for governments to address tobacco use as a public health issue.
• 🛡️ The FCTC enables countries to reduce both the demand and supply of tobacco products, leading to fewer people using tobacco and a decrease in tobacco-related diseases.
• 🚫 There is a growing trend of non-smoking regulations in public places, including fines and imprisonment for violations, reflecting a commitment to a healthier society.
• 🌿 The decrease in tobacco use over the years is evidence of the effectiveness of policies and programs that have been in place for more than two decades.
• 🚭 The FCTC also requires health warnings on cigarette packs, with some countries implementing graphic warnings to deter tobacco use effectively.
• 🚭 Electronic cigarettes are being addressed, with some countries, like Mauritius, banning their use in public places to further reduce tobacco-related harm.
• 🚫 Tobacco use is identified as the leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases, causing millions of deaths worldwide, including those exposed to secondhand smoke.
• 📉 Africa is particularly at risk, with high rates of tobacco use and aggressive marketing by tobacco companies targeting the youth, signaling an impending public health crisis.
• 🌾 Producer countries like Malawi are exploring alternatives to tobacco farming, such as diversifying into other cash crops or industries to reduce reliance on tobacco.
• 🔍 The WHO is urging countries to prioritize the FCTC in their efforts to control the global tobacco epidemic and is working on a new treaty to address illicit trade.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)?

The main purpose of the FCTC is to provide a legal basis for governments to tackle the public health problem of tobacco use by reducing both the demand and supply of tobacco products, thereby improving public health.

How does the FCTC help in reducing the demand for tobacco?

The FCTC helps in reducing the demand for tobacco by enabling countries to implement anti-tobacco initiatives, such as creating tobacco-free environments and introducing health warnings on cigarette packs.

What are the penalties for violating the non-smoking regulations around the bus terminal mentioned in the script?

The penalties for violating the non-smoking regulations include a fine of a thousand rupees or imprisonment for up to 2 years, depending on the severity of the offense.

What is the impact of tobacco on non-smokers?

Tobacco smoke can cause health risks for non-smokers as well, as they can inhale secondhand smoke, exposing them to the same health risks as smokers.

How many pictorial warnings has Macius introduced on cigarette packs, according to the script?

Macius has introduced eight pictorial warnings on cigarette packs as part of its anti-tobacco efforts.

What is the current situation regarding tobacco use in the African region?

The African region is at the brink of a catastrophe due to tobacco use, with high rates of smoking among adults and an even higher rate among young people aged 13 to 15.

What measures is Malawi taking to reduce its reliance on tobacco as a major foreign exchange earner?

Malawi is in the process of introducing alternatives to tobacco growing, diversifying into other cash crops, and exploring the mining industry as alternative sources of foreign exchange.

What is the role of the inspectorate division in enforcing the ban on smoking in public places?

The inspectorate division, in collaboration with the police, conducts crackdown operations in public places to ensure compliance with the ban on smoking in public areas.

What is the significance of the new treaty on illicit trade being negotiated under the FCTC?

The new treaty on illicit trade aims to further control the global tobacco epidemic by addressing the issue of illicit tobacco trade, which is a significant contributor to the problem.

What is the World Health Organization's stance on the urgency of addressing the tobacco epidemic?

The WHO considers the tobacco epidemic to be very urgent and serious, emphasizing that future generations would not forgive inaction if the epidemic continues unchecked.

How does the FCTC encourage governments to protect their citizens from tobacco smoke?

The FCTC obligates governments to implement laws that protect the public from tobacco smoke and ensure that accurate information about tobacco and its health effects is disseminated.

Outlines

00:00

🚭 Anti-Tobacco Initiatives and Public Health

The first paragraph discusses the global shift towards creating tobacco-free environments to protect public health, spurred by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which came into force in 2005. This international treaty provides a legal basis for governments to address tobacco use as a public health issue by reducing both demand and supply. The paragraph also touches on the positive impact of these regulations, as observed in bus terminals where fewer people are smoking, and the enforcement of fines or imprisonment for violations. It highlights the ongoing efforts and the need for new legislation to further reduce tobacco use.

05:02

🌍 Combating Tobacco Use in Africa and Beyond

The second paragraph focuses on the specific challenges and strategies for combating tobacco use in Africa, where tobacco is a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases. It mentions the high death toll caused by tobacco, including second-hand smoke victims, and the aggressive marketing tactics of tobacco companies targeting youth in the region. The paragraph outlines the responsibilities of countries under the FCTC to implement alternatives to tobacco cultivation, such as Malawi's efforts to introduce alternative crops and diversify its economy. It also discusses the importance of a comprehensive strategy for marketing these alternative products to ensure a smooth transition for farmers and maintain foreign exchange earnings.

10:04

🛡️ The Role of Governments in Tobacco Control

The third paragraph emphasizes the role of governments in enforcing the FCTC to protect citizens from tobacco smoke and ensure they receive accurate information about tobacco's health risks. It discusses the legal obligations of governments to enact laws that safeguard public health and reduce the incidence of non-communicable diseases. The paragraph also mentions the ongoing negotiations for a new treaty on illicit trade under the FCTC, which aims to strengthen global efforts against tobacco use. The World Health Organization calls for countries to prioritize the convention in their tobacco control strategies, highlighting the urgency of addressing the tobacco epidemic for the sake of future generations.

Keywords

💡Tobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke refers to the harmful mixture of chemicals released when tobacco products are burned, including cigarettes. It is the primary substance being targeted in the video's theme of creating a healthier environment. The script mentions the ongoing process of clearing environments from tobacco smoke to protect people's health, indicating the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and the global efforts to reduce its prevalence.

💡Tobacco-Free Environments

Tobacco-free environments are public or private spaces where the use of tobacco products is prohibited. The script discusses the creation of such environments as part of the global health initiative to reduce tobacco consumption and its associated health risks. This concept is central to the video's message, emphasizing the importance of clean air and public health.

💡Anti-Tobacco Initiatives

Anti-tobacco initiatives encompass a range of strategies and policies aimed at reducing tobacco use and its impact on health. The video script highlights the introduction of these initiatives as part of the global response to the tobacco epidemic, including the creation of tobacco-free environments and the implementation of regulations to protect public health.

💡World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The script mentions the WHO's role in the development of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which is an international treaty aimed at reducing the demand and supply of tobacco products. The WHO is central to the video's narrative as it provides the framework for global tobacco control efforts.

💡Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is an international treaty under the WHO that provides a legal basis for governments to implement measures to reduce tobacco consumption. The script describes the FCTC as a significant step in public health, as it enables countries to tackle the tobacco problem through legal means and reduce the demand and supply of tobacco products.

💡Demand and Supply Reduction

Demand and supply reduction refers to the strategic efforts to decrease both the desire for tobacco products (demand) and the availability of these products (supply). The script explains that by reducing both demand and supply, fewer people will use tobacco, leading to a decrease in tobacco-related diseases. This concept is integral to the video's discussion of tobacco control strategies.

💡Non-Smoking Campaign

A non-smoking campaign is a public awareness initiative aimed at promoting a smoke-free lifestyle and discouraging tobacco use. The script mentions an improvement in the non-smoking campaign around bus terminals, indicating a positive shift in public behavior and attitudes towards smoking in public spaces.

💡Health Warnings

Health warnings are messages or images on tobacco product packaging that inform consumers about the risks associated with tobacco use. The script notes that the FCTC requires countries to introduce health warnings on cigarette packs, and it highlights the effectiveness of graphic warnings in preventing tobacco use.

💡Electronic Cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are devices that deliver nicotine without the combustion of tobacco. The script mentions provisions for banning e-cigarettes, indicating a comprehensive approach to tobacco control that includes not only traditional tobacco products but also emerging alternatives.

💡Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

Non-communicable diseases are medical conditions that are not transmitted between individuals, such as heart disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer. The script identifies tobacco as the number one risk factor for NCDs, emphasizing the significant health impact of tobacco use and the importance of tobacco control in reducing the burden of these diseases.

💡Illicit Trade

Illicit trade refers to the illegal movement of goods, including tobacco products, across borders. The script mentions the negotiation of a new treaty on illicit trade under the FCTC, which aims to combat the smuggling and illegal sale of tobacco products, further reinforcing the global commitment to tobacco control.

💡Alternative Crops

Alternative crops are other agricultural products that can be grown instead of tobacco, providing farmers with alternative sources of income. The script discusses Malawi's efforts to introduce alternatives to tobacco growing, highlighting the need for a strategy to market these crops and ensure a viable market for farmers transitioning away from tobacco.

Highlights

Countries worldwide are taking steps to clear their environments from tobacco smoke to protect public health.

The World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, established in 2005, provides a legal basis for governments to address tobacco use as a public health issue.

The treaty allows countries to reduce both the demand and supply of tobacco products, leading to fewer people using tobacco and suffering from related diseases.

Public support for regulations is growing, with more people respecting non-smoking rules in public spaces like bus terminals.

Health-conscious passengers and fines for violations contribute to a significant improvement in non-smoking campaigns.

Tobacco is identified as the number one risk factor for non-communicable diseases, killing 5 million people worldwide annually, including non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke.

Africa is particularly at risk, with high youth smoking rates and aggressive marketing by tobacco companies.

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control requires countries to introduce health warnings on cigarette packs, with some countries implementing graphic warnings.

Electronic cigarettes are being banned in public places to further prevent tobacco use.

Inspectorate divisions collaborate with police to conduct crackdown operations ensuring compliance with no-smoking rules in public places.

Malawi, a tobacco producer, is exploring alternatives to tobacco growing to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on tobacco.

The World Health Organization is urging countries to place the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control at the center of their tobacco control efforts.

A new treaty on illicit trade is being negotiated under the framework convention to further combat tobacco use.

The Conference of the Parties oversees the implementation of the treaty, emphasizing the urgency of global tobacco control.

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has opened new avenues in public health, making it an obligation for governments to protect citizens from tobacco smoke and provide accurate information.

The treaty is expected to reduce non-communicable diseases, which are currently on the rise, benefiting public health.

Transcripts

[Music]

times are

changing countries worldwide are

clearing their environment from tobacco

smoke to protect People's

Health this ongoing process includes the

creation of tobacco free environments

and the introduction of other

anti-tobacco

initiatives it is the result of many

years of struggle that led to the entry

into for in 2005 of the World Health

Organization framework convention on

Tobacco

Control the framework convention uh for

Tobacco Control is an international

treaty and uh it's very important for

public health because For the First Time

um there is a legal basis for

governments to be able to tackle a

public health problem by uh implementing

uh the treaty

a country is able to reduce the demand

for tobacco and also to reduce the

supply of uh tobacco products in effect

if the supply and the demand for tobacco

are both reduced uh fewer people will be

using tobacco products and therefore

fewer people will be suffering from

diseases that are caused by tobacco

[Music]

I agree with this uh

regulations since it it helps in

maintaining the health of people and I

think people should respect others when

traveling the bus and should not smoke

I've noticed that most passengers now

are becoming more health conscious and

on our terminals we've seen less people

smoking so there's a there's a great

Improvement on on on this campaign of

nonsmoking around the bus terminal and

and in our premises there's a fine and

the fine comprises of uh a fine of a

th000 rupes or imprisonment of 2 years

depending on the gravity of the offenses

we are lucky we we don't have any strong

opposition to to to these kind of

actions and and and I think this is

clearly in continuity with policy and

programs that we have been doing for

more than 20 years and the decrease of

tobacco over the years is a proof that

many things have been done but still

taking any kind of new regulation

legislation is no easy step

[Music]

Hada tries to give maximum confidence to

its clients this has resulted in the

fact that people are willing to have

non-smoking

Haas I think it's a good thing for the

environment and for our health tobacco

is extremely dangerous to health

[Music]

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the framework convention on Tobacco

Control also requires countries to

introduce Health warnings on cigarette

packs macius if I'm not mistaken is

among the few countries in the world who

H who has uh introduced graphic warnings

in fact we have introduce eight

pictorial

warnings uh and this is I think it is

proving to be a very effective a way of

preventing tobacco and also we have made

Provisions for electronic cigarette to

be ban there in fact it's prohibited to

smoke in public places so we have our

inspectorate division who um with the

collaboration of the police uh we you

usually uh conduct from time to time uh

certain Crackdown operations in the

field in the public places to to uh to

to see to ensure that people do not

smoke in public places tobacco is the

number one risk factor for

non-communicable diseases each year it

kills 5 million people worldwide

including nonsmoking

who by inhaling other people's smoke are

exposed to the same health risks as

smokers half of these deaths occur in

the African region the World Health

Organization estimates that 6 to 36% of

adults in Africa smoke Africa is at the

brink of a catastrophe this the epidemic

as at an earlier stage in Africa but we

see some real warning signs in the

continent we see tobacco companies

aggressively marketing their products in

the in the region we see tobacco

companies targeting uh young

people uh we also see uh see some

worrying Trends we see for example youth

between 13 and 15 years of age having a

much higher rate of tobacco smoking in

the African region than

adults cons the drug ilicit constitute

the risk

PR

countries have the duty to implement the

obligations of the framework convention

on Tobacco Control including

alternatives to tobacco

growing Malawi for instance which is a

tobacco producer is in the process of

introducing alternatives to tobacco

growing and ratifying the treaty

we are in the process of drafting a

paper for the cabinet to look at before

it can then go on to uh to parli so as

soon as that process is done we'll be

able to uh to ratify it Tobacco is a

major foreign exchange Anda for Malawi

so we cannot work alone as Ministry of

Health we have to work with our

colleagues in the minister of

Agriculture to see how best we can move

forward to create Alternatives so these

Alternatives need to come with a good

strategy for marketing those products so

that the farmers who shift from tobacco

to any of the other uh possible crops

can found can find easy and available

Market uh for their products Malawi is

uh rich in uh many fields we know that

we have tea we have uh cotton we have

the fishing industry and then even among

the crops cash crops we can diversify

into other cash crops to enable uh the

country get the much needed foreign

exchange and of course lately we've also

found a number of minerals in the

country so maybe we can go into an

alternative way of uh uh getting this

income for the country than to rely too

much on Tobacco

the framework convention on Tobacco

Control has already proved its efficacy

in the fight against

tobacco but more must be done for the

treaty to reach its full

potential the World Health Organization

urges countries to put the convention at

the heart of their efforts to control

the global epidemic of tobacco use the

world Community under the framework

convention on tobac control is

undertaken to negotiate a new treaty

they're in the advanced stages now of

negotiating a new treaty on illicit

trade and we uh hope that that will be

adopted by the the parties to the

framework convention in late 2012 at the

next session What's called the

conference of the parties the conference

of parties is the body that overviews

the uh the implementation of the treaty

the priority is to get the entire world

Community to sign on to this this is a a

very urgent urgent uh uh epidemic it's a

serious epidemic and future Generations

would never forgive us if we allow the

uh the tobacco epidemic to continue

unchecked the who framework convention

on Tobacco Control has opened a new door

in public health it is now an obligation

for governments to protect their

citizens from tobacco smoke it is now an

obligation for governments to ensure

that the public are getting the correct

information about tobacco and its

progress therefore the fact that there

is a legal obligation is new in public

health and therefore this treaty is

going to um encourage uh government to

um uh have laws that protect the public

and also going to reduce uh

non-communicable diseases uh because

they on the rise currently so this

treaty is good for Public Health

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]