A pivotal global conference on tobacco control, convening next week, is set to confront the staggering environmental crisis caused by cigarette butts, with a complete ban on filters being a key recommendation.
The Environmental Scourge of Cigarette Filters
The 11th conference of the parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will be held in Geneva from November 17-22. Andrew Black, acting head of the FCTC secretariat, stated that the gathering will scrutinise the extensive environmental damage caused by the tobacco industry. He revealed that a staggering 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide each year, making them the planet's most common form of litter.
These discarded filters are a significant source of plastic pollution, leaching toxic chemicals into soil and waterways and breaking down into harmful microplastics. Crucially, Black emphasised that these plastic filters 'don't provide any meaningful increase in the safety of cigarettes' for the smoker, rendering their environmental cost even more indefensible.
Industry Interference and the Rise of New Nicotine Products
The World Health Organization has issued a stark warning about the tobacco industry's attempts to infiltrate and undermine the upcoming conference. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused the industry of being motivated by 'one thing only: generating profit'. Benn McGrady of the WHO confirmed the industry is 'lobbying like crazy' and trying to sow division among delegates.
The conference agenda will also tackle the aggressive marketing of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, which are increasingly targeting young people. The WHO presented its first global estimate, indicating that over 100 million people now use e-cigarettes, including at least 15 million teenagers aged 13 to 15. These products are often marketed with bright colours and sweet flavours that are 'specifically attractive to children'.
A Call for Comprehensive Action
Rudiger Krech, the WHO's environment and climate change chief, argued it is 'high time to ban those plastics... because they are the highest pollutants in waters'. With filters offering no health benefit, the simplest environmental solution, according to Andrew Black, is to get rid of filters altogether.
The conference will set the future trajectory for global tobacco control. Ultimately, it will be down to the approximately 180 states that have ratified the FCTC to decide what measures to implement. The WHO is advocating for comprehensive bans on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship for all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, to combat an 'entirely preventable' death toll of over seven million people annually.
