The Eleventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) was held from 17–22 November in Geneva, Switzerland. The central theme of this year’s session was clear: the effective implementation of the WHO FCTC. And the greatest obstacle identified in achieving this goal is the systematic and well-organized interference of the tobacco industry. COP11 delivered an unequivocal message to all Parties: remain highly vigilant against the influence and interference of the tobacco industry.
The conference adopted four key decisions aimed at strengthening tobacco control. These include: taking legal measures to ensure accountability for the harm caused by the tobacco industry; reducing reliance on tobacco taxes by increasing domestic revenue generation; strengthening both current and future-oriented tobacco control measures; and introducing actions to protect the environment.
Throughout the six-day conference, discussions focused on reviewing progress in addressing the environmental and public health harm caused by tobacco and nicotine products. Participants highlighted various measures to prevent and manage waste generated from tobacco, nicotine products, and related electronic devices. It was noted that trillions of cigarette filters are discarded every day on streets, in rivers, and in the oceans. These filters are made of microplastics, causing an estimated USD 25.7 billion in damage annually, with a total loss of USD 186 billion over the past decade. Therefore, it called for banning cigarette filters, holding the tobacco industry accountable, and preventing tobacco interests from interfering in public health and environmental policies. Emphasis was placed on effective implementation of the WHO FCTC to achieve these goals.
The WHO FCTC is the first global public health treaty negotiated under the World Health Organization and one of the fastest and most widely adopted treaties in UN history. A total of 183 countries are Parties to the Convention, which entered into force 20 years ago. Although the treaty has driven significant progress in tobacco control worldwide, the tobacco industry has intensified efforts in recent years to undermine its implementation.
Tobacco companies continue to interfere at various stages of WHO FCTC implementation—aiming to weaken global tobacco control. These efforts range from lobbying to direct attempts to influence national delegations. These tactics are deeply concerning. This is not merely lobbying; it is a deliberate and coordinated strategy designed to obstruct consensus and hinder the implementation of the WHO FCTC. As a result, tobacco industry interference remains the single greatest barrier to stronger global tobacco control.
Key strategies used by the tobacco industry include:
Influencing or nominating industry-aligned individuals to national delegations.
Using industry-funded front groups to lobby in the name of trade, science, or consumer rights.
Promoting misleading research to cast doubt on evidence-based tobacco control policies.
Presenting false claims about employment, agriculture, or tax revenue to pressure ministries such as finance and commerce.
Seeking access to COP-related meetings and events as observers to influence decisions.
These tactics are well-documented in the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index.
Additionally, at COP11, the Global Tobacco Control Alliance (GTCA) released a new policy framework for regulating non-medical nicotine products. The guidelines warn that these products can create addiction among young people and non-users, potentially undermining years of progress in tobacco control. The primary objective of this framework is to protect populations from the harms of tobacco use and nicotine addiction.
In Bangladesh, such interference is becoming increasingly visible. At a time when advocacy to strengthen the national tobacco control law is gaining momentum, tobacco companies appear to be influencing government processes and arranging meetings with policymakers. Recently, the government even approved Philip Morris to establish a nicotine pouch manufacturing facility—violating existing regulations and contradicting fundamental principles of the WHO FCTC. Yet Bangladesh was among the earliest signatories to the treaty, with a core commitment to protect public policy from tobacco industry interference.
According to the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Atlas 2025, approximately 130,135 people in Bangladesh die every year from tobacco-related diseases — which means around 357 deaths every day. In addition, the economic loss caused by medical treatment and other tobacco-related expenses amounts to about BDT 39,173 crore 11 lakh 47 thousand annually. This makes it clear that tobacco is imposing a devastating burden not only on public health but also on the national economy.
Bangladesh has expressed at COP11 that it will strengthen advocacy to implement the steps already taken regarding tobacco control.
To further align with the WHO FCTC, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health has proposed amendments to the existing Tobacco Control Act of 2005 (amended in 2013). Key proposals include: eliminating designated smoking zones in public places, a complete ban on the display and advertisement of all tobacco products, protection of youth from the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, banning the sale of single sticks of cigarettes and bidis, prohibiting tobacco companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR), and increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on tobacco product packaging to 90 percent.
Now is the time for stronger action. The WHO FCTC remains a proven and effective framework for global tobacco control. The pressing question is whether governments can resist tobacco industry pressure and move forward with full and decisive implementation of the treaty. If they can, the world will be watching—and Bangladesh, too, must take bold steps in that direction.
(Writer: Associate Professor, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Co-Convenor of Nari Maitree Teachers Forum Against Tobacco.)
