Designed to counter the global tobacco epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the first public health treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO. The World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the WHO FCTC in 2003; it is a landmark legal instrument in international, regional, and national tobacco control that has changed the paradigm of public health. At present, 183 governments, representing more than 90% of the world’s population, are Parties to the WHO FCTC and have committed to implementing the treaty’s various lifesaving measures. Indonesia is the only ASEAN country that has not ratified the WHO FCTC.

The WHO FCTC provides a policy framework to reduce tobacco consumption through evidence-based supply and demand regulatory interventions, such as: (a) protecting public health policies from commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry; (b) raising tobacco excise taxes and using the revenue to fund tobacco control; (c) legislating for smoke-free environments banning smoking in public places; (d) implementing pictorial health warnings and standardized/plain packaging on tobacco products; (e) banning tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; (f) eliminating illicit trade in tobacco products; (g) providing alternative livelihoods to tobacco farming; (h) preventing sales to and by minors; and (i) collecting and sharing data on tobacco use and prevention efforts.

Because tobacco poses a major threat to life and health (killing more than 8 million people annually, including 1.3 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke), it also threatens sustainable global and national development. A multisectoral, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society approach is therefore essential for the implementation of the WHO FCTC as a means to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to meet the global target of a 30% relative reduction in tobacco use prevalence among persons aged 15 and over by 2030 as agreed by WHO Member States.

Within ASEAN, most countries have made significant progress in implementing measures to reduce tobacco use in line with the WHO FCTC since its entry into force in 2005.

Over the past several years, ASEAN member states have demonstrated growing commitment and leadership in adopting FCTC-compliant policies and interventions, particularly to (a) protect the public from exposure to secondhand smoke by restricting smoking and ensuring 100% smoke-free environments in all enclosed workplaces, public places, and public transportation, covering all forms of tobacco products including waterpipes and electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products) (Article 8) and (b) raise public awareness of health risks of tobacco use, help motivate quit attempts, and discourage tobacco use uptake through standardized (plain) tobacco product packaging and prominent pictorial health warnings on all tobacco packages (Article 11).

That said, full implementation of the WHO FCTC remains a work in progress, and further strengthening of national tobacco control policy is needed to achieve the objective of the treaty. This includes reducing tobacco product affordability through tobacco tax systems strengthening and regular excise tax increases (Article 6); enforcing a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, including prohibiting corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by the tobacco industry, banning retail pack display and online sales of tobacco products and all electronic smoking devices (Article 13); and securing sustainable financing for tobacco control (Article 26), such as through establishment of health promotion/tobacco control mechanisms funded through tobacco surcharge taxes. It is also widely acknowledged that most ASEAN member states still lag in safeguarding their public health policies from tobacco industry interference (Article 5.3), which is a major obstacle to effective tobacco control implementation.