"Every tobacco death is an avoidable tradedy. The epidemic must stop here", says WHO Director General Dr Chan in an op-ed published yesterday in The Guardian, before the start of the 7th Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC in India this week.

This week, countries will gather in Delhi, India for the 7th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), a treaty that has sparked action across the globe to stem an epidemic that kills approximately 6 million a year.

Dr Chan emphasises that we need to work together to continue the momentum for tobacco control: from reducing illicit trade, to protecting countries from litigation on tobacco packaging measures, and from raising tobacco tax to creating smoke-free public places.

"Tobacco use, the leading cause of death from noncommunicable diseases such as heart and lung disorders and cancer, claims about 6 million lives a year [...] We have made great strides, but we have so much more to do. Tobacco use remains one of the most vexing challenges we face in the global health arena".

Read commentary via the link below. For more information and resources about COP7, visit the Framework Convention Alliance website.