Deborah Sy In the ongoing battle against plastic pollution to protect the marine environment, a decision at COP10 on the implementation of Article 18 (Protection of the Environment) serves as a beacon of hope. Every year, some 4.5 trillion littered plastic cigarette butts contribute to the consistent ranking for the top plastic items in debris […]
Category: Environment
Global Plastics Treaty must align with Global Tobacco Control Treaty
Debby Sy and Laurent Huber In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) mandated the negotiations of a global plastics treaty which is expected to include Single Use Plastics (SUPs), under which cigarette butts have been categorized. The UNEA Resolution encourages broad multi-stakeholder involvement including the private sector. There is no indication that the […]
Smoke-free homes Innovation Network (SHINE) Charter: Priorities for future collaboration
Rachel O’Donnell, Sean Semple, Thilo Kroll and Kate Frazer, on behalf of the Smoke-free Homes Innovation Network (SHINE) Co-Investigators and Collaborators* The UK and Ireland are both widely regarded as world leaders in tobacco control measures, introducing comprehensive smoke-free public places legislation between 2004 and 2007. Substantial gains were made through these policy changes leading […]
Planet earth: another victim of the tobacco epidemic
By Dr Adriana Blanco Marquizo, Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC We live in an interconnected world, a fact that has never been as clear as it is now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are very few issues that can be considered simply ‘health problems’, as nearly every aspect of life is connected […]
Waterpipe tobacco waste as a source of toxic contaminants in the environment
Sina Dobaradaran, Thomas E. Novotny and Hossein Arfaeinia Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS), commonly known as narghile, shisha, and hookah, is increasing worldwide, and with it, evidence of adverse health risks. WTS has been historically prevalent among youth and adults in Eastern Mediterranean countries, and it is increasingly popular in Eastern Europe and Western countries. Results […]