The original version of this article was published in Chinese. The English translation is provided by 2Firsts for reference only. In the event of any discrepancies, the Chinese version shall be deemed authoritative.

On June 27, 2025, the East Tobacco Newspaper Press（ETN） published an analysis article on the "2024 World Tobacco Control Compliance Progress Report". The ETN is the official media outlet of the International Tobacco Monopoly Bureau (China Tobacco).

2024 World Progress Report on Tobacco Control Compliance

Authors: Lin Zhengling from China Tobacco Fujian Industrial Corporation, Zheng Yizheng from the National Tobacco Economics Research Institute (Policy Research Office), and Lu Fei from the Beijing Municipal Administration 

In 2024, the parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention") have taken various measures to reduce tobacco demand, supply, and harm, such as adjusting taxes and prices, promoting smoke-free public places, strengthening ingredient regulation, widely banning tobacco advertising, and protecting the environment. The global tobacco control compliance work has shown characteristics of the Convention's binding force and influence decreasing, the position of tobacco control in the global governance agenda moving forward, and further increasing differentiation and divergence.

1. Progress in the Signing and Negotiation of the "Convention"

The year 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention. In 2024, no new countries joined the Convention, keeping the total number of contracting parties at 183. The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, also known as the Protocol, is the only protocol under the Convention. Jordan and North Macedonia joined the Protocol in 2024, bringing the total number of contracting parties to 70.

The 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention (referred to as COP10) and the 3rd Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (referred to as MOP3) will be held in Panama City in February 2024. COP10 reached resolutions on environmental protection, cross-border advertising promotions, and sponsorship, while MOP3 reached resolutions on tracking and tracing systems, evidence-based research on illegal trade, and other topics. COP11 and MOP4 are scheduled to take place in Geneva in November 2025, where discussions will continue on Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention, forward-looking tobacco control measures, new tobacco products, tobacco and environmental protection, and other related topics.

2.Progress in the Implementation of Key Provisions of the Convention

According to the "Convention" definition of tobacco control, tobacco control mainly includes reducing tobacco demand, reducing tobacco supply, and reducing tobacco harm. Articles 5 of the Convention stipulates the general obligations of the parties, including the development of tobacco control strategies, plans, and policies. Articles 6 to 14 of the Convention outline measures to reduce tobacco demand, including price and tax measures, protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, ingredient regulation and disclosure, packaging and labeling, education, communication, training, and public awareness, advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, and promoting smoking cessation. Articles 15 to 17 of the Convention outline measures to reduce tobacco supply, including combating illegal trade, protecting minors, and so on.

(1) Tobacco control strategies, plans, and policies

Article 5 of the Convention requires the parties to develop, implement, regularly update, and review multi-sectoral comprehensive tobacco control strategies, plans, and policies. According to the latest available data, 74% of the parties have enacted national comprehensive tobacco control plans through legislation, executive orders, and other means.

In 2024, some countries adjusted their tobacco control legislation, expanding the scope of tobacco products and strengthening tobacco control efforts. The UK passed the Tobacco and E-cigarette Act, which introduced a new comprehensive set of tobacco control measures, including the "Next Generation No Smoking" provision, which bans the sale of traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, hand-rolled cigarettes, cigars, and snuff to individuals born after 2009 starting from January 1, 2027. The act also includes new regulations for the supervision of novel tobacco products, broad restrictions on advertising, promotion and sponsorship, prohibiting sales to individuals under 18 years of age, banning vending machine sales, extending current indoor smoking control measures to certain outdoor public spaces, establishing retail licensing and product registration systems, among others. Switzerland revised the Tobacco Products Act to include e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in the regulatory framework and strengthened advertising restrictions. Kenya amended the Tobacco Control Act to regulate synthetic nicotine and e-cigarettes as tobacco products, and enhanced controls on advertising, promotion, and smoking in public places. Spain passed amendments focusing on the regulation of heated tobacco products, banning flavors including menthol, requiring graphic health warnings on packaging, expanding smoke-free areas, and strengthening controls on tobacco product marketing.

(2) Reduce the Demand for Tobacco

Taxation and pricing measures. Article 6 of the Convention requires parties to implement pricing and tax measures to reduce tobacco consumption. According to the latest available data, the global average comprehensive tax rate for tobacco products is 56%, with the average tax rate on cigarettes (taxes as a percentage of the retail price of the most popular cigarette brands) at 61.6% (66.9% in high-income countries, 59.1% in middle-income countries, 56.5% in low-income countries). By 2024, countries will be developing tax policies based on their own national circumstances, taking into account economic principles, public health values, tax benefits, and risks of illicit trade, leading to further differentiation in global tobacco tax rates.

Some countries and regions have increased tobacco taxes or prices. Switzerland has amended its Tobacco Tax Act to raise the tax rates on various tobacco products, including cigars and small cigars to "1% of the selling price + 0.76 Swiss francs per stick", fine-cut tobacco and water pipes to "25% of the selling price + 46 Swiss francs per kilogram", and pipe tobacco and heated cigarettes by 16%. Azerbaijan has increased the consumption tax on cigarettes from 38 Azerbaijani manat per thousand sticks to 45.5 Azerbaijani manat, and on e-cigarettes and heated cigarettes from 14 Azerbaijani manat per thousand sticks to 16 Azerbaijani manat. By December 2024, the Montenegrin government will raise the consumption tax on cigarettes from 49 euros per thousand sticks to 52 euros. Russia has increased the tax rate on cigarettes and cigars by 5%, setting the minimum price for a pack of cigarettes at 129 rubles, an increase of 10 rubles from 2023. Belgium, Canada, Pakistan, Cuba, Argentina, Turkey, and other countries have also raised tobacco taxes or prices to varying degrees.

Some countries and regions are lowering tobacco taxes in order to combat illegal trade and protect the legal tobacco industry. Georgia has reduced the tax rate on tobacco products from 60 Georgian lari to 30 Georgian lari. The Philippines has lowered the minimum prices for various tobacco products. The minimum price for a pack of cigarettes has been reduced from 114.6 Philippine pesos in 2023 to 78.58 Philippine pesos, and the minimum price for a pack of heated cigarettes has been reduced from 120.4 Philippine pesos to 60.11 Philippine pesos.

Prevent exposure to tobacco smoke. Article 8 of the Convention requires parties to take measures to prevent exposure to tobacco smoke in public places. Countries vary in the extent and strength of smoking control in public places based on their domestic consumption habits, social customs, and enforcement capabilities.

In 121 out of 195 countries and regions with available data, there is no national "one-size-fits-all" legislation on smoking in public places. In the United States, 20 out of 50 states have not designated restaurants and bars as smoke-free spaces. Japan continues to promote a "smoke-free" policy, expanding the areas where smoking is banned while also setting clear standards for designated smoking areas and smoking rooms to guide smokers to smoke in specific places. Italy, France, Belgium, Thailand, Russia, Spain, and other countries have also to varying degrees expanded the scope of smoking bans in public places.

Regulation and disclosure of ingredients. Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention require parties to take effective measures for the regulation and disclosure of tobacco product ingredients. However, progress in fulfilling this provision has been slow due to the high level of expertise required and numerous legal barriers. During COP10, discussions were held on whether the relevant work should be carried out by an expert group organized by the Secretariat of the Convention or through a working group authorized by the parties. Ultimately, it was announced that the work of the expert group would be discontinued.

Packaging and labeling. Article 11 of the treaty requires parties to adopt and implement effective measures on the packaging and labeling of tobacco products in accordance with their national laws. Some parties have implemented stricter packaging measures, including graphic warnings and plain packaging. According to the latest available data, around half of the 224 countries and regions globally have graphic warnings printed on cigarette packaging. Additionally, the ongoing legal dispute in the United States regarding graphic warnings on cigarette packaging continues.

Advertising, promotions, and sponsorships. Article 13 of the Convention requires parties to prohibit tobacco advertising, promotions, and sponsorships widely based on their constitution or constitutional principles. Currently, "widely prohibited" rather than "fully prohibited" has become the consensus among all parties. In 2024, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) of Nigeria announced the ban on showing tobacco (including nicotine products) on entertainment media. If there is a need to describe tobacco, a warning about the health hazards of tobacco must be displayed, but it must not be targeted at minors and should not show product packaging or brands. Lithuania prohibits the public display of tobacco and tobacco-related products and devices in retail outlets.

Promoting smoking cessation. Article 14 of the Convention requires parties to take effective measures to promote smoking cessation. In 2024, the World Health Organization released its first comprehensive smoking cessation intervention guidelines, the "WHO Adult Smoking Cessation Clinical Treatment Guidelines," emphasizing the combination of behavioral support and pharmacological treatment. The guidelines introduce methods of using digital interventions such as text messages, mobile apps, and internet programs to assist with smoking cessation. They recommend that healthcare institutions record tobacco use in electronic health records and provide training in smoking cessation interventions to healthcare providers. The guidelines also encourage governments to waive or reduce the costs of evidence-based smoking cessation therapies, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The Nepal Health Education Information Communication Center (NHEICC) and the WHO local office have collaborated to provide multiple rounds of smoking cessation training for healthcare workers nationwide and introduce nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation for the first time.

(3) Reduction of Tobacco Supply and Other Issues

Crack down on illegal trade. In the post-pandemic era, global illegal tobacco trade continues to grow, accounting for around 12.5% of the total global tobacco trade, with a value exceeding the sum of illegal trade in major goods such as oil, wildlife, timber, art and cultural products, and diamonds. Article 15 of the Convention requires parties to take effective measures to eliminate illegal tobacco trade, including licensing systems, printing origin labels, establishing tracking and tracing systems, and destroying illegal products. Due to high taxes, technological barriers, and difficulties in monitoring and control, illegal tobacco trade is a global challenge. In 2024, the World Health Organization held its first regional workshop on illegal tobacco trade, with representatives from WHO SEARO, customs, financial, judicial, trade, and health departments of member countries participating. Brazil collaborated with WHO and PAHO to assess the demand and implementation of the Protocol, focusing on the issue of illegal tobacco sales to minors and low-income individuals in the country.

Protecting minors. Article 16 of the Convention requires parties to take effective measures to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors. Minors are the focus group of tobacco control laws and policies. In recent years, various measures such as strengthening the regulation of new tobacco products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, increasing the legal purchasing age, and enhancing control over e-cigarette flavors have all been taken with the aim of protecting minors. By 2024, Ireland and Maldives will raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21.

In 2024, more countries and regions are strengthening regulations on new tobacco products to protect minors. The sales of new tobacco products continue to grow, with a particular focus on nicotine pouches, which are increasingly being used by teenagers. The United States and Sweden, as their main markets, have been regulating nicotine pouches in terms of market access, age restrictions, health warnings, etc. The US FDA has issued multiple warning letters to retailers for selling nicotine pouches to minors, imposing fines and requiring them to stop online sales and limit advertising promotions. It is expected that in the future, regulations on the marketing, flavors, online sales, and other aspects of nicotine pouches will become stricter.

The issue of environmental protection. Article 18 of the convention states that parties should pay due attention to protecting the environment and the health of individuals in tobacco cultivation and production. In recent years, with the continued efforts of the World Health Organization and some non-governmental organizations in tobacco control, the intersection of tobacco control and environmental protection has been receiving increasing attention. Environmental issues are gradually moving away from the obligation of "attention" in Article 18, and are starting to merge with other substantive issues under the framework of the convention, moving from abstract to concrete.

3.Tobacco Control Trends Among Key Stakeholders

In 2024, the World Health Organization and the Secretariat of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control continue to play important roles in global tobacco control efforts, with some non-governmental organizations continuing to launch tobacco control actions through financial support, advocacy, and other means.

(1) World Health Organization

Organize international conferences and events to guide countries in strengthening tobacco control. Host COP10 and MOP3 meetings, focusing on enhancing tobacco control arrangements and organizing expert group discussions during the closed session. The theme of the 37th World No Tobacco Day is "Protecting Youth from the Harms of Tobacco," with a focus on the popularity of e-cigarettes among young people, as highlighted in a research report.

Strengthen international collaboration to enhance discourse power. On one hand, strengthen cooperation between international organizations, including government organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Development Programme, and non-governmental organizations such as the Smokefree Youth Movement; on the other hand, enhance cooperation between parties to the Convention in accordance with Article 22 of the Convention. In 2024, the Secretariat of the Convention and the Ministry of Public Health of Uruguay signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly establish a new knowledge center, dedicated to accumulating evidence and conducting technical research on Article 8 of the Convention "Protection from Exposure to Tobacco Smoke" and Article 14 "Promotion of Smoking Cessation".

Focusing on strengthening tobacco control, providing academic research and technical support. In 2024, the World Health Organization released a total of 13 publications under the tobacco control category, including "Restricting online marketing of tobacco, alcohol, food, beverages, and breast milk substitutes: existing methods and policy options", "Case study of tobacco control investment in Fiji", "Twenty-year action: advancing the strategy for tobacco control in the Western Pacific Region", "Twenty-year action: advancing the strategy for tobacco control in Southeast Asia", "Tobacco and asthma" etc., aiming to strengthen tobacco control by providing information, data, theoretical basis, and specific implementation recommendations.

Advocate for stricter tobacco control measures. Continue to advocate for all signatories to implement "forward-looking tobacco control measures" that go beyond the Convention, even though these measures are not legally binding on the parties, but are directive in nature.

(2) Tobacco Control Non-Governmental Organizations

Compared to the intense promotion in previous years, tobacco control non-governmental organizations have started to adopt a low-key approach in their activities. Some anti-smoking foundations that have been active in developing countries have shifted from actively promoting their cause to indirectly voicing their support through funding local non-governmental organizations. Their funded projects mainly focus on advancing tobacco control strategies, monitoring tobacco use trends, establishing data platforms, training news media, conducting advocacy campaigns, promoting smoke-free legislation, and so on.

4.Conclusion

In 2024, tobacco control measures continued to deepen, while conflicts among stakeholders intensified. Global tobacco control efforts have revealed several emerging trends.

First, the rise of new products and emerging issues has weakened the binding force and influence of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Since the Convention came into effect, countries and regions have built regulatory systems covering demand reduction, supply control, and harm reduction, and implemented key measures accordingly. The MPOWER package proposed by the WHO in 2008 received widespread support, promoting smoke-free environments, tax and price policies, cessation support, and bans on advertising and promotion, helping to institutionalize and systematize global tobacco control.However, in recent years, rapid developments in new products and issues have undermined the Convention’s impact and effectiveness. The FCTC has struggled to provide clear guidance on novel products, leading to controversy and widely varying regulatory approaches based on each country’s specific context. Consensus remains elusive. Meanwhile, non-governmental organizations have promoted new topics—such as human rights—shifting the focus away from tobacco and the Convention itself.

Second, tobacco control is gaining a more prominent place in the global governance agenda. It is evolving from a health issue into a multidisciplinary topic intersecting with economics, politics, and culture. Related discussions now involve food security, water resource protection, plastic use, and the rights of specific populations. This trend has both diluted the authority of the original Convention framework and expanded the reach and influence of tobacco control, potentially reshaping global regulatory systems and the future of the tobacco industry.

Third, disparities and disagreements in FCTC implementation have widened. Some Parties and organizations continue to push aggressive new measures and topics, while others adopt more pragmatic approaches based on local conditions. This divergence is reflected in growing differences in regulatory priorities and perspectives.For example, in ingredient regulation, some follow Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention—testing and reporting emissions, and disclosing content to the public—while others focus on youth protection and harm reduction through flavor and nicotine limits. Still others approach regulation from an environmental standpoint, targeting packaging materials. Policy divergence is also evident in tax policy (where high taxes get higher and low taxes stay low), in smoke exposure prevention (stricter rules getting stricter, looser ones staying lenient), and in the regulation of novel tobacco products (ranging from outright bans, to stricter-than-cigarette controls, to more lenient or even encouraged use as cigarette alternatives).These growing differences pose serious challenges to the unified implementation of global tobacco control measures.

Contributors:
China Tobacco Fujian Industrial Corporation
National Tobacco Economics Research Institute (Policy Research Office)
Beijing Municipal Administration (Corporation)