Two Treaties, One Goal: Ash Out the Tobacco Threat
Geneva: Over the next two weeks, Geneva will host more than 1,400 delegates from governments, international organisations and civil society as they examine a new phase of global tobacco control challenges. The meetings will take place under the governing bodies of two international health treaties—the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, known as the WHO FCTC, and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. Together, these treaties will address the rise of nicotine addiction, particularly among young people, the environmental and health consequences of tobacco use and production, and the global spread of illicit tobacco markets.
The Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC, convening from November 17 to 22, 2025, brings together delegates from 183 Parties that cover about 90% of the world’s population. It provides governments with a platform to review progress, consider new developments and strengthen implementation of the treaty’s provisions. The Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol will take place from 24 to 26 November, with 71 Parties participating. Andrew Black, Acting Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC, said the two meetings will help reinforce international cooperation and political commitment to addressing a public health crisis that claims more than seven million lives each year.
Nicotine-delivery products, including electronic cigarettes and other emerging devices, will receive significant attention as several Parties have reported rapid increases in their use, especially among adolescents. A ministerial roundtable on the opening day will examine government approaches to these trends. Speakers will include Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Cristina Lustemberg, Uruguay’s Minister of Public Health, and Sandra Gallina, Director-General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission. Their perspectives are expected to reflect growing concern that widespread availability and targeted marketing have made these products accessible to young users.
During the week, Parties to the WHO FCTC will also discuss measures aimed at reducing tobacco consumption, preventing nicotine addiction and limiting exposure to tobacco smoke. Delegates will consider the Expert Group report on liability, which includes both criminal and civil dimensions of accountability as part of comprehensive tobacco control. They will further address the environmental and health aspects of tobacco production and consumption, including the impact of discarded cigarette filters—one of the largest sources of plastic waste—whose degradation releases toxic chemicals and microplastics into ecosystems.
The opening day will also mark twenty years since the WHO FCTC entered into force. The anniversary event will bring together representatives from governments, the United Nations system, civil society and youth organisations for a strategic dialogue aligned with the meeting’s theme, “Uniting Generations for a Tobacco-free Future”. Delegates will also attend the launch of the 2025 Global Progress Report, which reviews implementation experiences and highlights areas where additional cooperation may be needed.
Following the conclusion of the WHO FCTC meeting, attention will shift to the illicit tobacco market when Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products convene from 24 to 26 November. Illicit tobacco accounts for an estimated 11% of global consumption, lowering prices, increasing access and weakening public health policies. Governments lose more than USD 47 billion in tax revenues each year as a result, reducing resources available for essential services such as health care and education. The Secretariat notes that illicit trade also fuels corruption and organised criminal activity.
A high-level segment of the Meeting of the Parties will include insights from INTERPOL officials and prosecutors from Gabon and Latvia, who will describe efforts to disrupt illicit manufacturing and distribution networks. Delegates will examine options to expand international cooperation, improve global information-sharing systems and reinforce controls along the tobacco supply chain, which are central components of the Protocol.
Proceedings of both governing bodies will be open to the public unless Parties decide otherwise, as set out in their rules of procedure. Accredited media may attend all public sessions of the meetings and their committees.
The WHO FCTC, negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization, is the first global public health treaty. It provides a legal framework for implementing proven tobacco control measures, including pictorial health warnings, smoke-free environments and higher tobacco taxes. The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products complements the Convention by offering a coordinated international response to illegal trade, which undermines tobacco control efforts and contributes to transnational criminal activity. The discussions in Geneva are expected to guide the next phase of cooperation on tobacco regulation, nicotine control and enforcement against illicit markets.
– global bihari bureau
