The Lancet: Slow burn: tobacco control in the Americas
Editorial Board

“…[The] WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) … has been lauded as one of the most rapidly embraced treaties in U.N. history. However, it has also come under fire for poor implementation of its recommendations. … A report published Aug. 29 by the WHO Pan American Health Organization provides a case study of how the implementation of the FCTC measures needs to accelerate to control the tobacco epidemic. Progress has been uneven throughout the Americas, where there have been almost no changes in the application of effective tobacco control policies between 2014 and 2017. … Many hurdles must be overcome to meet the FCTC recommendations — adverse lobbying and regulation of new tobacco delivery products to name but two — but the battle against tobacco-related illnesses and premature mortality is well worth fighting. … What is certain is that the FCTC recommendations are demonstrably effective and improvement is urgently needed to meet the standards set over a decade ago” (9/8).