Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI)

Watching and countering the industry

Understanding the tobacco industry's practices is crucial for the success of tobacco control policies. In this context, it's important also to understand that tobacco products are the only legally available products that can kill up to one half of their regular users if consumed as recommended by the manufacturer.

Recent publications

Tobacco product regulation

Tobacco is one of the few openly available commercial products that is virtually unregulated in terms of its contents and emissions.

WHO's mandate on monitoring the tobacco industry

WHA Resolution 54.18 and also the text of the WHO FCTC, where it asks countries to remain:"… alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts and the need to be informed of activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on tobacco control efforts…"

Tobacco industry monitoring database

Articles related to the tobacco industry and groups and individuals that operate to advance goals that benefit the tobacco industry’s interests.

Reports and publications

Several reports published by WHO Tobacco Free Initiative analyze different aspects of the industry's strategies.

Latest publications

World No Tobacco Day 2017 cover
WHO
  • Tobacco threatens us all
    The brochure "Tobacco threatens us all", published for World No Tobacco Day 2017, describes how tobacco use has devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences.

Key products

Social media

Contact us

WHO Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases (PND)
20 Avenue Appia
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 791 4426
Fax: + 41 22 791 4832
E-mail: tfi@who.int