Toward a smoke and aerosol-free United Nations: past, present and future of a meaningful endeavor

Resumo

To strengthen the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), an important effort concerns the adoption of tobacco control measures within United Nations (UN) premises. This article recapitulates the history of tobacco control initiatives targeting the UN workplaces, draws attention to current challenges of this meaningful endeavor, and reflects on possible future developments on the subject. Beginning in 2006, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), building on the technical groundwork of the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Task Force on Tobacco Control, recommended the implementation of a complete ban on smoking at all UN indoor spaces and on sales of tobacco products at all UN premises. In late 2008, the General Assembly finally addressed this issue through the adoption of Resolution 63/8 on Smoke-free United Nations premises. This resolution formally framed tobacco control not only as a global public health priority but also as an internal workplace responsibility for the UN system, recognizing the symbolic and political role of the UN on the social acceptability of the habits of smoking. Following this political mandate, UN duty stations advanced efforts to institutionalize smoke-free policies across the system. Nevertheless, the battle was not close to its end, since new challenges would soon emerge from 2012 onwards: the mass consumption of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), heated tobacco products (HTP), electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS), and novel nicotine products. In recent years, although the original scope of the UNGA Resolution 63/8 does not explicitly address aerosol-emitting devices or novel tobacco and nicotine products, some UN duty stations, supported by the NCD Task Force, the WHO FCTC Secretariat and WHO, have implemented restrictive measures targeting these products. Looking forward, to further strengthen the UN system's support to the WHO FCTC framework, there is, therefore, a need for updating UNGA Resolution 63/8 by including provisions that explicitly extends its scope to novel and emerging tobacco and nicotine products, to aerosol-emitting habits, and that encompass both indoor and outdoor premises. Such an expansion would be in line with the spirit and provisions of the Convention, as well as with the Sustainable Development Goals.