Call for WHO Treaty Reform Amidst Tobacco Harm Debate

Health experts are advocating for urgent reform of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to incorporate modern harm-reduction science. With 1.35 million tobacco-related deaths annually in India, experts emphasize the need for the FCTC to adapt to scientific and technological innovations that could save lives.

A recent webinar, hosted by the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) under its Good COP 2.0 initiative, highlighted the need for reform in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The call for change focuses on aligning the treaty with modern harm-reduction science.

Experts such as Dr. Derek Yach and Martin Cullip argued that the FCTC, once hailed as a pioneering framework against global smoking rates, has stagnated. They stressed how the treaty has failed to evolve alongside advancements in science and technology that present opportunities to drastically reduce smoking-related deaths.

As India battles 1.35 million tobacco-related deaths annually, the urgency for adopting evidence-based harm-reduction strategies is paramount. The discussion encouraged delegates attending COP11 to reassess the FCTC's approach and embrace reduced-risk nicotine products to reflect current public health challenges.

(With inputs from agencies.)