Why preventing tobacco industry interference is important
The Preamble of the WHO FCTC states that Parties to the treaty recognise “the need to be alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts and the need to be informed of activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on tobacco control efforts.” This is based on well documented schemes and activities of the tobacco industry, spanning decades, aimed at defeating, weakening, and delaying effective tobacco regulation.
Parties therefore agreed that, as a FCTC general obligation, “in setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law” (Article 5.3).