Why Public Health Organizations Must Reject All Collaborations with the Tobacco Industry

The global tobacco epidemic continues to be one of the most urgent and preventable public health threats of our time. With more than 8 million deaths each year, tobacco use disproportionately harms low- and middle-income countries, regions aggressively targeted by the tobacco industry marketing. Despite decades of evidence-based strategies proven to reduce smoking rates, progress is consistently undermined by the influence, funding, and strategic interference of the tobacco industry.

This article explores why public health organizations must categorically reject collaboration with the tobacco industry, the global framework guiding this stance, and how the public health community can strengthen its collective commitment to a tobacco-free world.

The Global Burden of Tobacco and the Need for Strong Public Health Action

Tobacco remains one of the world’s leading causes of preventable disease and death. Beyond the 8 million lives lost annually, millions more suffer from chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory illnesses attributed to tobacco use.

Although effective interventions exist (including taxation, restrictions on marketing, and cessation support), their success depends on consistent and uncompromised implementation. Tobacco companies continue to obstruct these efforts by promoting misleading narratives, funding front groups, and attempting to partner with public health entities to improve their public image.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: A Global Mandate

A significant turning point in global tobacco control came in 2003 with the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). As the first international treaty designed to combat the tobacco epidemic, it establishes legally binding obligations for countries that ratify it.

Key FCTC principles relevant to public health organizations

• No partnerships or collaborations with the tobacco industry

• No engagement with organizations funded by the tobacco industry

• Implementation of proven interventions such as:

  • Tobacco taxation

  • Graphic warning labels

  • Comprehensive advertising bans

These policies have repeatedly demonstrated their effectiveness in reducing demand, preventing initiation, especially among youth, and supporting cessation.

The WHO also explicitly urges all public health organizations to avoid any action that could create the impression of partnership with the tobacco industry.

Why Collaboration with the Tobacco Industry Undermines Public Health

The tobacco industry has a long history of using sponsorships, grants, and corporate social responsibility initiatives to gain credibility and influence. Such collaborations:

• Provide the industry with a platform to shape and weaken public policy

• Create conflicts of interest that compromise public health objectives

• Mislead the public into believing tobacco companies are acting in good faith

• Undermine global efforts toward a tobacco-free future

Allowing these partnerships, even indirectly, opens the door to manipulation and obstructs evidence-based public health initiatives.

WFPHA’s Position: A Clear Call for Independence from Tobacco Influence

The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA), together with the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health and the World Heart Federation, has long condemned the tobacco industry’s attempts to subvert tobacco control policies.

The WFPHA applauds the majority of public health organizations worldwide that already reject any form of collaboration with the tobacco industry. However, the organization emphasizes that more must be done.

WFPHA urges all public health associations to:

• Develop and adopt strong internal policies preventing collaboration with the tobacco industry

• Initiate open, transparent discussions within their organizations about tobacco influence

• Raise awareness among members, partners, and communities

• Advocate consistently for a tobacco-free world

• Recognize the disproportionate harm tobacco causes to vulnerable populations

Public health organizations have a responsibility not only to protect their independence but also to expose and challenge the tobacco industry’s pervasive influence on global health.

Moving Forward: Strengthening the Path Toward a Tobacco-Free World

Ending the tobacco epidemic requires unwavering commitment. Public health groups must remain vigilant against tactics designed to weaken tobacco control policies, distract from harmful products, or position the industry as a stakeholder in health solutions.

By rejecting all collaborations with the tobacco industry, public health organizations preserve the integrity of their work and strengthen global efforts to protect the world’s most vulnerable communities.

A healthier, tobacco-free future is within reach, but only if the public health community continues to stand united, independent, and uncompromised.