ABSTRACT
Among the four preventable risk factors for non-communicable diseases (‘NCD’) of tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy diet and lack of physical exercise, tobacco regulation is the most advanced in Africa in terms of the adoption and implementation of policy measures. This is largely due to the process of adoption and implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (‘WHO FCTC’),1 which provides legally binding obligations and also requires countries to report back on implementation. The process of adoption also created technical and advocacy capacity within government and civil society in Africa, which have been critical in securing political will to take action. Tobacco control therefore provides specific examples of the challenges faced in adoption and implementation of policies to counter the NCD epidemic and also oers lessons for dealing with the other risk factors.
