The continued Eleventh Convention of the Events (COP11) to the WHO Framework Conference on Tobacco Management (FCTC), presently being held in Geneva from 17–22 November 2025, marks the 20-year anniversary of the treaty’s implementation. Bringing collectively greater than 1,400 delegates from over 130 Events, the assembly goals to judge progress on international smoking discount and set up future regulatory instructions. But behind the formal agenda, COP11 has turn into more and more outlined by controversy—most notably issues over its closed nature and deep divisions over tips on how to deal with fashionable nicotine use, particularly the speedy rise of non-combustible alternate options equivalent to vapes, pouches, and heated tobacco merchandise.
Whereas many public well being officers proceed to push for strict controls throughout all nicotine classes, tobacco hurt discount (THR) advocates—together with client teams, impartial researchers, and behavioural scientists—spotlight that real-world proof warn towards this. International locations that assist reduced-risk merchandise are attaining smoke-free targets much more rapidly than these counting on prohibitionist or extremely restrictive insurance policies. This pressure has made the parallel “Good COP” counter-conference significantly influential, framing COP11 as a pivotal check of whether or not the FCTC will evolve to match present scientific and technological realities.
Delegates have spent vital time reflecting on 20 years of tobacco management progress underneath the FCTC. There’s broad consensus that the treaty has accelerated international enhancements equivalent to promoting restrictions, smoke-free protections, and taxation methods for tobacco. But many observers word that the construction of the FCTC was constructed for a world dominated by cigarettes—lengthy earlier than the emergence of recent vaping know-how, nicotine pouches, or heated tobacco.
Good COP analyses emphasise that as a result of these newer merchandise didn’t exist when the treaty was drafted, the FCTC nonetheless treats tobacco management as if solely flamable cigarettes matter. Some Events imagine the treaty should now be up to date to mirror immediately’s various nicotine panorama. Others insist that each one nicotine merchandise—no matter relative danger—ought to be topic to cigarette-level controls. This philosophical divide is among the defining tensions of COP11.
Youth safety and grownup hurt discount: not mutually unique
Youth nicotine use stays a core concern at COP11. Many delegations are calling for tighter restrictions on flavours, packaging, and advertising and marketing, arguing that experimentation amongst adolescents requires robust preventive measures. Hurt discount organisations agree that youth safety is important however warn that treating all nicotine merchandise the identical obscures important variations in danger.
Hundreds of thousands of adults depend on non-combustible merchandise to stop smoking; banning or closely limiting these instruments may undermine public well being progress. Additionally they level to rising analysis suggesting that many younger individuals who may in any other case smoke are as a substitute utilizing reduced-harm alternate options. Whereas not a fascinating consequence in itself, they argue, it however represents a far decrease well being burden than youth uptake of flamable cigarettes.
In the meantime, Good COP reviews repeatedly reference international locations equivalent to Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, and Japan, the place smoking charges have collapsed as safer alternate options gained traction. THR advocates hope COP11 will recognise that youth safety and grownup hurt discount can, and should, coexist.
A shifty EU
Previous to COP11, a leaked early draft of the EU’s negotiating place alarmed hurt discount teams by showing to assist broad prohibitions on different nicotine merchandise. Following widespread criticism from client organisations, impartial researchers, and several other EU policymakers, the ultimate model softened significantly. The revised doc prioritised proportionate regulation, nationwide flexibility, and evidence-based decision-making somewhat than sweeping bans. For THR advocates, this shift demonstrated that scientific debate and public engagement may nonetheless affect policymaking even inside the usually closed FCTC setting.
Nevertheless, optimism pale rapidly as soon as COP11 started. Stories from Geneva point out that Denmark, backed by the European Fee, is now pushing for EU-wide bans on vaping merchandise and nicotine pouches, straight contradicting the EU’s agreed stance. Including to the controversy is the truth that Denmark’s personal lately launched UngMap 2025 examine exhibits youth smoking plummeting exactly as a result of younger individuals are shifting to non-combustible merchandise.
UngMap 2025 surveyed greater than 2,100 Danes aged 15 to 25 and located day by day smoking had dropped to only 2.7 p.c, down from 15.4 p.c in 2014. The decline is happening alongside elevated use of alternate options like snus, vapes, and nicotine pouches, a pattern mirrored globally. Regardless of this, Denmark now advocates for prohibitions that seem inconsistent with its personal information.
Inside COP11’s largest debates
COP’s exclusions scale back transparency and restrict entry to important real-world information, together with info on illicit markets, grownup switching patterns, and product security.
The FCTC Secretariat continues to emphasize the necessity to forestall tobacco business interference. Most Events agree that cigarette producers shouldn’t have any function in shaping treaty selections. But hurt discount organisations argue that the coverage is being utilized so broadly that it additionally excludes impartial producers, client advocates, and unaffiliated researchers. They contend that these exclusions scale back transparency and restrict entry to important real-world information, together with info on illicit markets, grownup switching patterns, and product security. This situation stays probably the most contentious structural flaws of the COP course of.
Illicit markets have additionally featured closely in COP11 discussions. A number of Events report vital progress in unlawful tobacco and unregulated nicotine gross sales following harsh bans or very excessive taxes. Critics warn that aggressive restrictions typically drive customers (particularly youth) towards unsafe, unregulated merchandise whereas eradicating quality control and undermining age-verification programs.
Enforcement challenges round disposable vapes are significantly acute. Hurt discount advocates argue that authorized, well-regulated markets with clear age restrictions shield public well being much more successfully than makes an attempt to suppress demand by means of prohibition. Good COP commentary highlights this for example of ideological rigidity overriding proof: whereas some delegations push for harder crackdowns, others stress that decreasing hurt by means of safer alternate options is extra sensible and efficient.
Environmental issues, together with waste from cigarette filters and product packaging, are additionally being debated. Many Events assist measures equivalent to filter phase-outs and prolonged producer duty. THR teams emphasise that environmental laws ought to mirror the distinct waste profiles of various nicotine merchandise, warning towards making use of cigarette-specific measures indiscriminately to gadgets equivalent to pouches or refillable vapes.
The tug of battle between hurt discount and prohibition
At its core, COP11 highlights a basic query: ought to international coverage purpose to limit all nicotine use equally, or ought to it prioritise decreasing hurt by differentiating between flamable and non-combustible merchandise? WHO and several other Events advocate precaution, citing long-term uncertainties round newer merchandise. Hurt discount teams counter that in depth toxicological analysis, worldwide case research, and real-world inhabitants information already show dramatic reductions in smoking when safer alternate options are accessible.
Good COP reviews warn that ignoring this proof dangers limiting grownup entry to merchandise that would save hundreds of thousands of lives. The selections made at COP11 will affect international approaches to nicotine for the following 20 years.
For now, the convention stands at a crossroads—between conventional abstinence-driven doctrine and evidence-based hurt discount. As discussions proceed, the basic pressure stays unresolved, and sadly, the steadiness nonetheless leans towards precaution somewhat than pragmatism. But the speedy decline in smoking worldwide, mixed with the rise of safer alternate options, makes one factor clear: the worldwide nicotine panorama has modified. Whether or not the FCTC adapts to that actuality might decide the way forward for public well being.
Two Main Powers With Contrasting Plans for COP11: Does THR Stand a Likelihood?
