Tobacco control efforts are also gaining momentum internationally. Did you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2020, if current patterns of smoking continue, with no dramatic changes in cessations rates or significant declines in initiation rates, tobacco is expected to be the single biggest cause of death worldwide – accounting for about 10 million deaths per year. While high-income industrialized countries have witnessed a decline in smoking prevalence in recent years, the opposite is true for low-income developing countries.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first ever public health treaty, entered into force on February 27, 2005. The FCTC is an international response to an international problem. The spread of the tobacco epidemic is recognized as a global concern, with serious consequences for public health; and the FCTC is the first international legal instrument designed to promote multilateral cooperation and national action to reduce the growth and spread of tobacco use.
The FCTC was negotiated among all of the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) 190 Member States and, after three years of intense negotiations, was adopted in May 2003. Canada, already a world pacesetter in tobacco control, played a leadership role in the development and negotiation of the FCTC. In fact, many of the articles and obligations of the treaty are modelled on Canadian legislation.
Tobacco use is the world’s leading cause of preventable illness, disability and premature death. The FCTC demonstrates the commitment on the part of all WHO Member States to address this global epidemic and reduce tobacco use.
This global increase in tobacco consumption has greatly alarmed many healthcare experts and policy makers around the world. Therefore, the international community have come together and, under the auspices of the WHO, have adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first ever public health treaty.
In addition to the FCTC, certain countries (where constitutional law permits), such as Ireland, Norway and New Zealand are adopting country-wide smoking restrictions.
These international efforts demonstrate the importance of addressing this global health concern.
Since 1997, the province of British Columbia has conducted an aggressive strategy to protect everyone, especially young people, from the harmful effects of tobacco.
We are doing this for many reasons:
- More than half a million British Columbians are addicted to tobacco.
- 558,941 British Columbians over the age of 15 years smoke