MPOWER Framework

MPOWER Framework Latest News

Unlike in other countries where higher prices have deterred smoking, prices remain low in India; tobacco affordability undermines the World Health Organization’s MPOWER framework and weakens control, hindering efforts to reduce tobacco-related cancers.

About MPOWER Framework

• In line with the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), WHO introduced the MPOWER measures in 2008. 
• MPOWER are a set of six cost-effective and high-impact measures that help countries reduce demand for tobacco. These measures include:
  • Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies.
  • Protecting people from tobacco smoke.
  • Offering help to quit tobacco use.
  • Warning about the dangers of tobacco.
  • Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
  • Raising taxes on tobacco.
• The MPOWER measures have played a significant role in encouraging smokers to consider the most effective way to quit smoking. 
• Each letter in MPOWER stands for a measure intended to assist governments in achieving the FCTC’s objectives.

Key Facts on WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

• It is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO.
• It is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
• It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005.
• Since its entry into force in 2005, this international treaty has become one of the most rapidly and widely embraced treaties in United Nations (UN) history. 
• To date, 180 countries globally have ratified the WHO FCTC, including 50 WHO European Member States. 
• The WHO FCTC asserts the importance of strategies to reduce both demand and supply and provides a framework for tobacco control measures to be implemented at the national, regional, and international levels. This includes actions to:
  • Protect public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry (Article 5.3).
  • Adopt price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco (Article 6).
  • Protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke (Article 8).
  • Regulate the contents of tobacco products (Article 9).
  • Regulate tobacco product disclosures (Article 10).
  • Regulate the packaging and labelling of tobacco products (Article 11).
  • Warn people about the dangers of tobacco (Article 12).
  • Ban tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (Article 13).
  • Offer people help to end their addictions to tobacco (Article 14).
  • Control the illicit trade in tobacco products (Article 15).
  • Ban sales to and by minors (Article 16).
  • Support economically viable alternatives to tobacco growing (Article 17).
• In addition, Article 7 of the Treaty requests that the Conference of the Parties (COP) propose guidelines for the implementation of the Convention, with the aim to assist Parties in meeting their obligations under the Convention.

MPOWER Framework FAQs

Q1. What are the objectives of MPOWER?

Ans. MPOWER are a set of six cost-effective and high-impact measures that help countries reduce demand for tobacco.

Q2. Which organisation introduced the MPOWER framework?

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Ans. World Health Organization (WHO)

Q3. What does the “M” in MPOWER stand for?

Ans. Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies

Source: TH