Article 5.3 toolkit

This page sets out a toolkit developed by ASH and iPiP to support public health bodies to implement Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The WHO FCTC is the world’s first global health treaty. It is designed to help countries work to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.

Article 5.3 is a key element of the treaty. It is intended to protect public health policy from the influence of the tobacco industry. It reads: “In setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law.”

• DHSC guidance on government engagement with the tobacco industry. This guidance applies to all public bodies.
• Local Government Association guidance on Article 5.3 for all local government officers and elected representatives, building on the DHSC guidance above. 
• ASH briefing note on engagement with Keep Britain Tidy and compliance with Article 5.3.

We encourage councils to use this guidance, along with the ASH toolkit below, to support their decision making and develop their own policies on engagement with the tobacco industry. This should be communicated to local government officers and elected members. 

Begin with the Article 5.3 Process Map.

This sets out a road map of actions local authorities should take to ensure that local policy is adequately protected from the vested interests of the tobacco industry.

The process map also explains the various documents available to download below.

• Document 2: Making the case presentation
• Document 3: Why do we treat the tobacco industry differently?
• Document 4: The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
• Document 5: Template mapping report
• Document 6: Audit process presentation
• Document 7: Template communications log
• Document 8: Template employee code
• Document 9: Template council statement
• Document 10: Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control
• Document 11: Guidance for trading standards on tobacco industry engagement

In November 2017 ASH and the Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre hosted a webinar on the implementation of Article 5.3 in local authorities.

Webinar Agenda

1. Overview of Article 5.3 and local authority resources

Hilary Wareing – Director of Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre

1. Case study: The Article 5.3 auditing process Debbie

Smith – Public Health Specialist, Kent County Council

1. Article 5.3 and its implications for Trading Standards

Catherine Taylor – Regulation Manager, Fresh North East

1. Article 5.3 and Local Authority pension funds

Ian Willmore – Special Projects Advisor, ASH

1. Panel discussion including Q&A