Systems Thinking in the Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

AbstractReducing tobacco use is acknowledged globally as a highly desirable public health goal as embodied in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Previous work on systems thinking for tobacco control has primarily focused on healthcare delivery, particularly in smoking cessation programs and on governance with a focus on regulatory networks. This chapter will examine how systems thinking can improve governance, financing, and information as the most relevant health system building blocks to successful FCTC implementation. Using a case study approach, it emphasizes the relationships among the various actors and stakeholders involved in the implementation of the FCTC in South East Asia, particularly among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It has a specific focus on how the interaction between intergovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, and non-governmental organizations involved in tobacco control, and unrelenting tobacco industry interference influence the state of FCTC implementation in the region.