As the world observes World No Tobacco Day, the agenda for the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) takes shape for a global dialogue on tobacco control, with a focus on actionable strategies at the local level. WCTOH, to be held from 20 - 24 March 2012, will be hosted by Singapore for the first time. The Health Promotion Board, Singapore (HPB) [1] has chosen to organise both the pre-conference and conference, and lead the dialogue on tobacco control, for some 3,000 international delegates from around the world. The conference theme - Towards a Tobacco-Free World: Planning Globally, Acting Locally - underscores the emphasis placed on WCTOH being a platform not only for global strategies, but also for plans that acknowledge regional and local realities in the fight against tobacco.
[1] The Health Promotion Board, Singapore is the national driver for tobacco control programmes and strategies, and has consistently kept Singapore’s smoking prevalence at one of the lowest, if not the lowest, within the region by adopting a holistic approach towards tobacco control.