adopted 2003Reputable sourceWell documented
The WHO Treaty and the Rise of Smoke-Free Laws
On the timeline · around adopted 2003 ·
What happened
In 2003, the World Health Assembly adopted the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control — the world's first international public health treaty. It committed countries to advertising bans, tax increases, health warnings and protecting people from second-hand smoke, spurring a wave of smoke-free public spaces worldwide.
Why it matters
It became one of the most widely embraced treaties in UN history, turning tobacco control into a coordinated global effort.