The 17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) has asked governments to create a plan to phase out the sale of tobacco products by 2021 and advised governments, organisations and researchers to terminate any association with the Philip Morris International-funded Foundation for a Smokefree World and other undertakings from the tobacco industry.

At the end of the 3-day conference held on 7-9 March 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa, Dr Harry Lando, Chair of the WCTOH Organising Committee, read the official conference declaration, which included a preamble and 11 declarations aimed at ending tobacco consumption. The preamble outlines the problems caused by tobacco consumption, which the committee said, “Represents one of the biggest public health threats that the world has ever faced.”
The preamble states, “Tobacco use also undermines sustainable development, imposing a huge burden on the global economy, exacerbating poverty, contributing to food insecurity, and harming the environment.”
The committee also added, “There is an irreconcilable conflict between the manufacture and marketing of tobacco products and the right to health.”
The committee made suggestions on how to remedy “tobacco industry interference” and “ending the scourge of tobacco”.
The 11 declarations can be accessed here.