This joint statement was led and delivered by the World Heart Federation at the Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Madam President,
Distinguished Delegates,
The World Heart Federation and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) commend Parties for the strides made since 2023.
Tobacco remains a major – yet entirely preventable – risk factor for noncommunicable diseases, especially cardiovascular disease and cancer. To accelerate progress, we urge all Parties to strengthen comprehensive tobacco control measures, including reducing demand through strong tax policies and public education programmes.
We also welcome the focus on Article 14 and its Guidelines as a priority for implementation. Strengthening healthcare professionals’ capacity, ensuring access to evidence-based cessation medications, and leveraging digital solutions are essential to accelerate tobacco and nicotine cessation.
Nonetheless, we note with concern that implementation of the Framework Convention remains uneven. Limited progress on Article 5.3 continues to expose global tobacco control to critical vulnerabilities. Tobacco industry interference remains the main barrier to the implementation of the treaty. The industry has a long history of systematic and deliberate interference in public health, science, and policymaking, creating harmful controversy through misleading health claims, industry-funded research, and its so-called “harm reduction” narrative. Evidence shows that heated tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery systems are associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other health harms.
The industry has also aggressively targeted young people with misinformation, enticing flavours, and attractive designs – especially in low- and middle-income countries – in calculated efforts to secure the next generation of consumers, as newer tobacco and nicotine products are designed to both initiate and sustain nicotine addiction.
WHF and UICC believe that everyone, everywhere – from childhood to adulthood – has a right to be protected from the catastrophic health, social, economic, and environmental impacts of tobacco. We applaud Parties that have voluntarily extended the scope of FCTC provisions to newer tobacco and nicotine products.
We urge all Parties and stakeholders to fully implement the Framework Convention, with a particular emphasis on Article 5.3, to protect public health from the commercial and vested interests of the industry. Experience shows that greatest progress has been achieved by Parties that actively and consistently counter industry interference.
Thank you.
