Tobacco control legislation: Tools for public health improvement

Protecting the public's health through tobacco control policies is an international priority. With the completion of WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), countries are increasingly examining their national capacity to enact and enforce effective tobacco control laws. Legislative interventions are a key component of comprehensive tobacco control programs. To help law- and policy-makers create legislative interventions, the authors provide a four-part framework for categorising the wide array of tobacco control interventions. By modifying the economic, informational, social, and health environments in which tobacco is used, legislation can promote healthful behaviours and reduce adverse health consequences. Laws may take various forms and can be promulgated on a national, regional, or local level. Common tobacco control interventions include taxation, smoking bans, advertising restrictions, labelling and disclosure requirements, standardised product testing, and youth access restrictions. Various forms of law as vehicles for achieving health objectives are presented together with some key structural features of government that are important to consider when formulating legislation. A general blueprint for the legislative process leading to the enactment of effective tobacco control laws is also discussed.