May 4, - WHO has expressed concern that the tobacco industry and its agents continue to attempt to extend their interests to influence scientific research, public perception, policy making and the media, all to ensure the spread and sale of nicotine and tobacco products, according to reports.

The tobacco industry continues to amplify misinformation in the media, including recent nasty attacks on tobacco control organizations. The tobacco industry is the only one that benefits by undermining tobacco control groups.

There is a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the tobacco industry and the interests of public health policy. Who urges all Member States to ensure that they do not work with or receive funding from the industry or its front office groups.

The international community must not forget that the tobacco industry deliberately denies that its products are linked to cancer and falsely claims that second-hand smoke is not harmful.

Today, tobacco, e-cigarette and other nicotine companies continue to mislead by concealing the addictive nature of their products while targeting children and young people directly with harmful advertising. The tobacco industry has no place in tobacco control or harm reduction policies.

The tobacco industry should not be a partner in any initiative related to the development or implementation of public health policy, knowing that its interests are in direct conflict with public health objectives.

Decades of duplicity prove that tobacco companies put profits ahead of public health.

The tobacco industry uses a variety of strategies to interfere with the development and implementation of tobacco control measures. One strategy is to undermine the credibility of WHO and partners so that the public can question the scientific evidence demonstrating the dangers of tobacco and nicotine products.

Instead, WHO and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) have helped save millions of lives using an evidence-based approach.

The international community must protect the implementation of the WHO FCTC, a legally binding instrument that is celebrating its 20th anniversary at the World Health Assembly.

WHO FCTC helps prevent the tobacco industry from interfering with public health policy. WHO FCTC Article 5.3 contains the legal obligation of Parties to protect public health policies from the tobacco industry. WHO FCTC Guidelines for the implementation of Article 5.3 assist Parties in limiting interactions with the tobacco industry and refusing to enter into partnerships with the industry.

Who and its tobacco control partners continue to uphold evidence-based policies to curb tobacco use, such as the MPOWER tobacco Control measures that support full implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Who's collaboration with global tobacco control partners has strengthened public health and now protects more than 5 billion people from tobacco control measures.

These great gains in tobacco control are constantly threatened by the tobacco industry's multi-billion dollar campaign.

Who and its partners in Global Tobacco Control do not work with, or receive funding from, the tobacco industry or organizations and individuals working to advance its interests.