The Eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), held from Nov. 17 to 22, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland, closed with both progress and lingering divisions.
The Parties agreed to increase state funding for domestic tobacco-control programs and explore forward-looking measures, marking a more ambitious direction for global tobacco control.
COP11 also approved a decision urging Parties to consider stronger legislative action to address criminal and civil liability, advancing implementation of Article 19, which calls for legislative action related to tobacco control liability.
A notable development for the Philippines was the participation of the Department of Justice (DOJ), which delivered the country’s intervention on Article 19.
Assistant State Prosecutor Lyra Profugo emphasized that the Philippines already maintains comprehensive laws covering tobacco regulation.
“It must be noted that our country has comprehensive laws addressing tobacco-related harm, including the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Act, Tobacco Regulation Act, the Consumer Act, the Graphic Health Warnings Law and the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act,” Profugo said.
“Our position is grounded in the principle that effective tobacco control must continue to respect national sovereignty and constitutional frameworks, while promoting accountability and public health,” she added. Her intervention aligned with COP11’s call for countries to strengthen legal measures addressing liability for tobacco-related harms.
Farmer groups warned of the socioeconomic risks of adopting stringent global proposals without regard for local realities.
The Northern Luzon Alliance (NLA), a congressional bloc representing tobacco-growing provinces, commended the Philippine delegation for resisting measures that were “unrealistic, overly punitive, and incompatible with the country’s agricultural and economic realities.”
They added that adopting such proposals “would have amounted to an economic death sentence for entire agricultural provinces and the industries linked to them. Such measures would severely harm rural livelihoods, disrupt lawful industries, and jeopardize revenues that fund essential public services.”
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) underscored the long-term dependence of rural communities on the crop.
“Tobacco remains a primary source of livelihood across nearly 20 provinces… More importantly, this is the only source of decent income many families have known for generations,” the group explained.
The 50,000-strong Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA) recently said that its members lose nearly P1 billion in direct income yearly due to the growing illicit trade of tobacco in the country, driven by high tobacco taxes and strict regulations.
“Every illegal cigarette sold in the market is money taken away from hardworking Filipino farmers. These illegal products enter unchecked, undermining the value of our harvest and the integrity of our work,” said Saturnino Distor, PTGA president.
“We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for protection, for fairness, and for a chance to keep farming and feeding our families.”
Public health advocates used COP11 to stress the danger posed by heated tobacco products (HTPs) and e-cigarettes, noting they increasingly act as gateways for new users, especially youth, driven by aggressive marketing, flavors, and lifestyle branding.
This concern fueled calls for stronger regulation of new nicotine products. However, disagreements led Parties to postpone decisions until COP12 in 2027.
During the conference, the debate on new nicotine products revolved around the “Quit or Die” advocates and those espousing Harm Reduction, with the former demanding total cessation and strict bans on all nicotine products and the latter promoting “safer” alternatives for smokers who cannot quit.
For instance, New Zealand — a world leader in tobacco control reforms — cited scientific evidence that vaping and nicotine pouches reduce smoking rates and do not act as a gateway to smoking. Their intervention emphasized that harm reduction saves lives and urged risk-proportionate, science-based regulation rather than prohibition. This earned the country a “Dirty Ashtray” award by the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC) for allowing nicotine alternatives.
There were also proposals to tighten rules on marketing, potential cross-border trade, and banning of plastic filters, but the Parties failed to reach a consensus.
With critical decisions on new nicotine products deferred, COP12 in 2027 will become a critical moment for global tobacco control.
