WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Articles 17 and 18 - environment & tobacco

01/06/2026

⚠️ Deadline for document submission: June 7, 2026.

The Center for Studies on To***co and Health (Cetab/ENSP/Fiocruz) announces that there are remaining spots available for the course “From Leaf to Litter: Shaping a Planet Beyond To***co’s Impacts.”

✉️ Interested applicants must send the following documents to kh.cetab@fiocruz.br by June 7, 2026:

✅ Completed application form;
✅ Proof of education;
✅ Letter of intent.

In addition, registration in the Fiocruz Unified System is mandatory.

Applications will be assessed according to the criteria established in the call for applications.

🔎 For more details, visit the course page ⬇️

English: https://cursosqualificacao.campusvirtual.fiocruz.br/hotsite/from-leaf-to-litter/13711

Portuguese: https://cursosqualificacao.campusvirtual.fiocruz.br/hotsite/curso-artigos-17-e-18-cqct/13025

31/05/2026

This World No To***co Day, celebrated on May 31, 2026, the World Health Organization chose “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Ni****ne and To***co Addiction” as the theme.

The campaign exposes how the to***co and ni****ne industry continues to reinvent and repackage its products to hook a new generation, particularly children and adolescents, while evading stronger to***co control measures worldwide. Companies are aggressively marketing new and emerging ni****ne products such as e-ci******es, ni****ne pouches, and synthetic ni****ne devices to sustain addiction and recruit new users.

At .to***co.environment, we would also like to stress that potential users are not the only people these industries are trying to hook. In Brazil, organizations linked to them are trying to lure to***co farmers by associating the legalization of vapes with job creation in rural areas — despite the fact that the production of these devices requires far fewer to***co leaves than the manufacture of combustible ci******es.

Informing farmers and supporting alternative livelihoods for them — in line with Article 17 of the WHO FCTC — has never been more urgent.

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***coControl

22/05/2026

Article 17 of the WHO FCTC reminds us that to***co control is also a development, equity, and sustainability issue.

Across many countries, smallholder to***co farming communities face persistent cycles of debt, hazardous working conditions, child labour, environmental degradation, and limited economic mobility. While to***co production is often framed as a pathway to prosperity, evidence increasingly shows that many farming households struggle to generate sustainable livelihoods.

The WHO FCTC Article 17 Toolkit highlights the importance of supporting viable alternatives to to***co growing through coordinated, intersectoral approaches that advance rural livelihoods, food security, public health, environmental protection, and social well-being.

This work aligns closely with the Sustainable Development Goals and the broader vision of building economies that prioritize human dignity, resilience, and long-term prosperity.

Investing in alternatives to to***co growing is not only a public health imperative — it is an opportunity to support healthier communities, strengthen rural development, and create a more sustainable future.

https://fctc.who.int/resources/publications/m/item/toolkit-for-article-17-of-the-who-framework-convention-on-to***co-control

21/05/2026

In a recent study conducted in Malawi, researchers quantified pesticide residues commonly associated with to***co farming and assessed their ecological risks in river systems. They detected residues of banned products (such as DDT and HCH) and currently registered pesticides in both water and sediment.

The highest levels were found for pyrethroids, a group of insecticides, with significant concentrations in both water and sediment. Organophosphates, organochlorines, and neonicotinoids were also detected, showing that a wide range of toxic chemicals from to***co farming is reaching rivers and riverbeds.

With the exception of neonicotinoids, all pesticides found in the water posed serious ecological risks. Combined, these chemicals can cause acute harm, with levels high enough to damage algae, invertebrates, and fish. Neonicotinoids, although less dangerous in open water, were found to threaten organisms that live in river sediments.

The authors recommend regular monitoring of pesticide levels in rivers, stronger environmental protection policies, and safer agricultural practices in to***co-growing regions to protect water quality and biodiversity.

Read more: https://extranet.who.int/fctcapps/fctcapps/fctc/kh/alternativelivelihoods/e-library/ecological-risks-and-recent-inputs-banned-and

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Photo: Pexels

14/05/2026

A 10-year study conducted by researchers from Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco examined how cigarette butts break down in different environments — physically, chemically, biologically, and in terms of toxicity.

The findings show that cigarette butts do not simply disappear over time. Although they lose part of their mass in the first weeks, decomposition slows significantly afterward. In nutrient-poor environments such as sandy beaches, filters remained almost intact even after 10 years.

Even in soils where degradation was faster, cigarette butts did not become harmless. Instead, plastic fibers mixed into the soil and may persist as secondary microplastics.

The study also found that cigarette butts remain toxic over time. While fresh cigarette butts were the most toxic due to the rapid release of chemicals like ni****ne, residues still caused measurable biological effects even after a decade.

Read more: https://extranet.who.int/fctcapps/fctcapps/fctc/kh/alternativelivelihoods/e-library/long-term-cigarette-butts-decomposition-over-10

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27/04/2026

Eliane Roloff Rutz, Brasilien, hat 25 Jahre lang Tabak angebaut. Nach einem schweren Krankheitsfall in ihrer Familie, stand die Entscheidung fest, den Tabaka...

14/04/2026

🌱 Free online course | Applications open

Applications are open until April 30, 2026, for the course From Leaf to Litter: Shaping a Planet Beyond To***co’s Impacts, offered by the Center for To***co and Health Studies (Cetab - Fiocruz).

The course covers Articles 17 and 18 of the Framework Convention on To***co Control (WHO FCTC), focusing on:

✔️ economically viable alternatives to to***co growing
✔️ environmental protection
✔️ the health of populations involved in production

To***co growing is associated with significant risks, such as exposure to ni****ne and pesticides, as well as major environmental impacts — including the disposal of trillions of cigarette butts every year.

📚 About the course:
100% online
20-hour workload
Portuguese and English
Certificate upon completion
Period: June 1 to August 28, 2026

🎯 Priority audience: professionals working in public policy, health, environment, agriculture, and development.

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://extranet.who.int/fctcapps/fctcapps/fctc/kh/alternativelivelihoods/learning-resources

(the link is also in our highlighted stories)

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This is an online course on Articles 17 and 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on To***co Control (WHO FCTC) offered by the Center for Studies on To***co and Health (Cetab/Fiocruz), available in English and Portuguese.

07/04/2026

It’s World Health Day — and it’s time to remember that ***co harms not only users, but also the family farmers who grow it.

➡️ Green To***co Sickness is a form of poisoning caused by ni****ne absorbed through the skin when handling to***co leaves in humid conditions. It is very common during the harvest season. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, and even difficulty sleeping or eating.

➡️ Farmers are also exposed to pesticides, adding to the health risks.

➡️ Studies show that growing to***co is far more labor-intensive than other crops.

➡️ Child labor in to***co fields remains common in many countries.

These families need support to transition to healthier and more sustainable livelihoods.

🎯 Article 17 of the WHO FCTC calls on Parties to promote economically viable alternatives for ***co workers, growers, and individual sellers.

30/03/2026

Cetab - Fiocruz, where our Knowledge Hub is based, will host an online course on Articles 17 and 18 of the WHO FCTC.

Applications are now open.

The course will be available in two language tracks — English and Portuguese — and is primarily intended for candidates who:

• Work in government institutions of Parties to the WHO FCTC;

• Are engaged in to***co control or related public policies (e.g., health, environment, agriculture, rural development, economy, finance);

• Are from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as classified by the World Bank, in line with WHO FCTC priorities.

Application period: March 30 to April 30, 2026

Course period: June 1 to August 28, 2026

Learn more: https://extranet.who.int/fctcapps/fctcapps/fctc/kh/alternativelivelihoods/learning-resources

📸 Rae Tian / Unsplash