The upcoming global conference on tobacco control, to be held next week, will also discuss the massive pollution caused by cigarette filters, with some experts recommending their total ban.
“The best solution for the environment would be to remove filters completely,” said Andrew Black, interim head of the secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), on Thursday.
According to the secretariat, plastic cigarette filters are the most discarded item in the world. They release toxic chemicals into the environment and break down into microplastics — while offering no significant benefits to smokers.
The 11th FCTC conference will be held in Geneva from 17 to 22 November, and the WHO has warned that the tobacco industry is trying to influence and disrupt the event.
How do cigarette filters pollute the environment?
Around 4.5 trillion cigarette filters are thrown away each year in the world, making them the most commonly discarded item.
These filters are toxic and a major source of plastic pollution, as they do not decompose.
Plastic filters do not increase the safety of cigarettes, Black adds.
Rudiger Krech, head of environment and climate change at the WHO, stressed that it is time to ban plastic in cigarette filters, as they are "major water pollutants" and "carry toxic chemicals."
The specific measures will depend on the participating countries. Currently, about 180 countries have ratified the FCTC, which entered into force in 2005 and includes measures such as:
Graphic warnings on cigarette packages
The conference will decide on measures that will influence the trajectory of the global tobacco epidemic for future generations. Currently, over 7 million deaths each year are caused by tobacco — a number that could be prevented.
The dangers of new tobacco products
The conference agenda also includes the aggressive marketing of tobacco products and concerns about children being drawn towards addiction by new products.
According to the WHO, more than 100 million people use e-cigarettes, including at least 15 million adolescents aged 13-15. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that despite being promoted as a safer alternative, there is no evidence that e-cigarettes have real public health benefits, while harm is increasing.
The tobacco industry, according to him, has only one motive: financial gain, and is trying to influence the conference through lobbying and dividing public opinion.
New products marketed as “harm reduction” are actually appealing to children, with bright colors and sweet flavors. The industry is also using social media to promote the products to young people, exposing them to addiction.
What does WHO aim for?
WHO calls for a complete ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine products. /GazetaExpress/
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