Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 14 guidelines: a new era for tobacco dependence treatment.

摘要

On Friday 19 November 2010, in Punta del Este, Uruguay, the fourth Conference of the Parties (COP4) to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) [1] adopted guidelines for the implementation of Article 14 of the Convention. [A COP is a treaty's governing bod}' and provides a vehicle for deciding how United Nations (UN) treaties should be implemented; the FCTC COP meets periodically: in 2010 it met for 1 week and considered guidelines for several Articles and other issues, including treaty finance and governance.] Article 14 asks Parties to develop national guidelines and effective measures to encourage and assist tobacco cessation (see Table 1). This means that for the first time ever a global policy exists, set by a UN treaty, to support countries in developing treatment systems to help those addicted to tobacco to become tobacco free. This editorial examines how this came about and what it might mean for the future of tobacco dependence treatment.