An overview of tobacco control interventions in the Global South

Abstract

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has been broadly successful but less so in the Global South. This paper aims to effectively design interventions that to mitigate tobacco-related harms in the Global South, further understanding of interventions in this environment will be helpful, in line with FCTC recommendations. The first objective was to locate and review all published literature relating to tobacco control interventions in the Global South. The second objective was to provide information on research trends within Global South tobacco control interventions.,A literature search was conducted across six databases.,Despite the FCTC detailing the significance of the research, studies are still lacking in the Global South. There are significant research gaps such as longitudinal studies, harm reduction and randomized controlled trials.,Limitations arose from differences in study designs of reviewed studies, making it more complex to assess all studies under the same rubric.,Results indicate significant potential for tobacco control interventions in the Global South, potentially moving toward FCTC goals, but also highlight several areas of concern.,There is much evidence on the effectiveness of tobacco control in the Global North, especially in some parts of Europe and the USA. However, the evidence base in the Global South is far more limited. This paper provides an overview of Global South tobacco control interventions and suggests areas of concern, in line with the FCTC 15 years on.