Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) aims to protect strong tobacco control policies from the harmful influence of the tobacco industry. Specifically, Article 5.3 legally obligates Parties to the treaty "to protect their public health policies related to tobacco control from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry."
Article 5.3 protects against the tobacco industry’s attempts to dilute and weaken effective and life-saving tobacco control legislation. By calling for enactment and implementation of laws and policies aimed at preventing tobacco industry interference with tobacco control measures, Article 5.3 provides tobacco control advocates and governments an important tool to ensure that public health is prioritized over increasing the profits of the tobacco industry.
Examples of Article 5.3 measures include:
- Interact with the tobacco industry transparently and only when strictly necessary to effectively regulate the tobacco industry and tobacco products.
- Reject partnerships and non-binding or non-enforceable agreements with the tobacco industry.
- Prohibit tobacco industry involvement in any youth, public education, or other tobacco control initiatives and prohibit so-called “socially responsible” activities carried out by the tobacco industry.
- Prevent tobacco-related conflicts of interest in all branches and levels of government.
Learn about all WHO FCTC Article 5.3 measures.