Honourable Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen,
It is a privilege to address you today as the Head of the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). I deeply appreciate this opportunity to discuss a topic of great importance; the urgent need for Mongolia to enhance its tobacco control policies in alignment with the WHO FCTC.
Tobacco use remains one of the leading preventable causes of death and disease globally, claiming over eight million lives annually. Its impact extends beyond health, affecting national productivity due to lost workforce hours. Tobacco use places a heavy burden on healthcare systems through the treatment of preventable illnesses and imposes profound emotional and financial hardships for families affected by tobacco-related diseases Beyond the statistics, the human cost felt in the hearts of families and communities is immeasurable.
Your country has made significant progress since joining WHO FCTC in 2004. The adoption of a tobacco control law in 2005 and its revision in 2015 demonstrate your commitment to protecting your citizens from the devastating effects of tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke.
Despite this significant progress, some work remains.
Honourable members of this esteemed legislative body, it is with great respect that I present to you a series of carefully considered recommendations to fully align your country’s tobacco control policies with the WHO FCTC and its Guidelines for implementation.
New and emerging tobacco and nicotine products, such as heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, pose a unique and growing challenge both globally and in Mongolia. Aggressively marketed with appealing flavors and packaging, these products disproportionately target children and young people.
Parties to the WHO FCTC have emphasized the need for strict regulation or outright bans on such products.
As Mongolia revises its Law on Tobacco Control, I urge you to ban flavors in tobacco and nicotine products, expand regulations to include the devices used by new tobacco products, electronic cigarettes and their emissions, as well as ensure comprehensive oversight of all tobacco-related products.
Protecting children and young people from these addictive products is not just an option—it is a moral obligation.
Tobacco taxation is one of the most effective measures to reduce tobacco consumption. Currently, in Mongolia the total tax share represents 42.1% of the retail price of the most-sold cigarette brand. This falls short of the WHO’s recommendation of at least 75%.
Significantly raising tobacco taxes can reduce tobacco use, particularly among youth and price-sensitive groups. It can also generate substantial government revenue for reinvestment in health and other national development priorities. Higher tobacco taxes will prevent consumers from switching to cheaper alternatives by uniformly applying high taxes to all tobacco and nicotine products. Regularly adjusting taxes for inflation and income growth will maintain their effectiveness over time.
Exposure to second-hand smoke remains a severe health risk. The highest level of protection under the WHO FCTC is 100% smoke-free environments without exceptions (such smoking designated areas). This includes all public places, indoor workplaces, and public transport. Mongolia should implement and enforce such comprehensive smoke-free laws and eliminate exceptions in the aforementioned spaces.
Such measures will protect non-smokers, promote healthier cultural norms, and underscore Mongolia’s commitment to public health.
While Mongolia has restricted tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, further measures are needed to comply fully with Article 13 of the WHO FCTC and its Guidelines for implementation. A comprehensive ban should include indirect advertising and promotion and corporate social responsibility activities by tobacco companies. This will reduce exposure to pro-tobacco messaging, particularly among youth, and reinforce the prioritization of public health over commercial interests.
The tobacco industry has a well-documented history of attempting to influence public health policies. Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC and its guidelines for implementation mandates the protection of policymaking processes from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry. Mongolia should enforce strict conflict-of-interest rules for policymakers and public officials, ensure transparency when interactions are needed for regulatory purposes and prioritize public health in all government actions. Policy coherence across sectors is indispensable to uphold these principles and protect the integrity of public health in Mongolia.
Honorable Members of Parliament, the decisions you make will resonate for generations to come.
By strengthening your tobacco control policies, you have the power to save lives, reduce healthcare costs and improve the quality of life for every Mongolian citizen.
Your leadership in tobacco control will also serve as a model for other countries.
The Secretariat of the WHO FCTC is committed to continuously support Mongolia every step of the way, providing technical support and guidance to achieve these critical goals through the ongoing FCTC 2030 project.
Together, let us envision a Mongolia where children grow up free from the burden of tobacco, where public spaces and workplaces are completely smoke-free, and where health and well-being are prioritized above everything else.
Thank you for your dedication to tobacco control.