WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (often by the abbreviation WHO FCTC ) is an international treaty, which was adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003. It is the first WHO Convention, which was adopted pursuant to Article 19 of the WHO Constitution. The contract became effective on 27 February 2005. The contract has been signed by 168 countries and is legally binding in those countries that have ratified it (currently 168). The ratification process is ongoing, non-members can join too.

Objective of the Convention is to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, and relevant environmental consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. To this end, the Convention including reaching obligations sees a number of national, regional and international tobacco control measures, concerning production, marketing, sales, advertising, taxation and tobacco relevant political measures.

Liabilities

Through the Framework Agreement, the signatory countries ( almost all countries of the world, especially Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg ) commits to take the following measures:

World Map Status

Criticism

The German Cancer Aid and the " Coalition for Smoking " reputable healthcare organizations in the Federal Republic have been practicing for World No Tobacco Day 2011 criticism of the fact that since the German signing of the WHO FCTC in 2003, little has been achieved against passive smoking in Germany. The organizations and German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg, accused the 16 states, they would still have different regulations and its responsible for this " patchwork Germany ".