Abstract

REYNALES-SHIGEMATSU, Luz Myriam et al. Tobacco control in Mexico: a decade of progress and challenges. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2019, vol.61, n.3, pp.292-302.  Epub Mar 03, 2020. ISSN 0036-3634.  https://doi.org/10.21149/9360.

Mexico was the first country in the Americas to sign and ratify the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2004. More than a decade later, it is appropriate to evaluate legislative and regulatory progress and the associated challenges; and also, to propose a roadmap to prioritize the problems to be addressed to achieve long-term sustainable solutions. Mexico has made substantial progress in tobacco control. However, regulations have been only weakly enforced. The tobacco industry continues to interfere with full implementation of the WHO-FCTC. As a result, tobacco consumption remains stable at about 17.6%, with a trend upwards among vulnerable groups: adolescents, women and low-income groups. The growing popularity of new tobacco products (electronic cigarettes or e-cigs) among young Mexicans is an increasing challenge. Our review reveals the need to implement all provisions of the WHO-FCTC in its full extent, and that laws and regulations will not be effective in decreasing the tobacco epidemic unless they are strictly enforced.

Keywords : public policy; epidemiological monitoring; health surveillance; tobacco industry; middle-income countries; Mexico.