GSP - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I become a member of the Global Smokefree Partnership?
Interested individuals can sign up to become a member of the Global Smokefree
Partnership by clicking on the "Register" button in the Members Area box, located on the
left hand column of the GSP homepage.
You will have to fill out a series of fields as part of your request for membership, including
contact information; the name of your organization; the names of two references or referees
for the GSP to contact for further inquiries; your affiliation with Globalink (if any); and the
nature of your work on smokefree policies. Membership requests are subject to review by
GSP staff.
You will be notified about your members status within three weeks. Please do not contact
the GSP general inbox with queries about the status of your request.
2. What kind of assistance does the Global Smokefree Partnership provide?
The GSP provides assistance to tobacco control advocates for two basic types of requests:
- Requests for information and materials on smoke-free policies, including but not
limited to, toolkits, factsheets, case studies, brochures, etc.
- Technical assistance on different aspects of smoke-free policy campaigns, including
but not limited to, implementation, enforcement, and trainings
The GSP does NOT provide assistance for core funding or operational costs. Please visit
the Assistance section of the GSP website for more details on how to send the GSP a
request for assistance.
3. Does the Global Smokefree Partnership have materials in different languages?
The Global Smokefree Partnership does provide materials in non-English languages. Where
available, non-English versions of Global Smokefree Partnership materials are available as
links in the "Resources" section of the website.
GSP Partner organizations also have materials in different languages. Please visit the "About
Us" section to access web links to GSP Partner organizations.
4. How can I receive updates on the Global Smokefree Partnership's current projects and
activities?
The GSP sends out a regular newsletter to its members and individuals who subscribe to
receive the newsletter. These newsletters can be accessed by clicking on the "Newsletter"
tab on the GSP website.
5. What is the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control?
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the world's first public health
treaty. The FCTC entered into force on 27 February 2005. The FCTC contains different
measures designed to reduce the devastating impact of tobacco on health and economics.
As of January 2009, 168 countries have signed the treaty, and 161 countries have ratified the
treaty, becoming Parties to the FCTC.
For more information on the FCTC and civil society's role in the treaty process, please visit
the Framework Convention Alliance website at:
http://www.fctc.org/index.php?item=treatyfaq. You may also visit the World Health
Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative for the text of the treaty and additional information
(http://www.who.int/tobacco/framework/en/)
6. What does the FCTC say about smokefree policies?
Article 8 of the FCTC covers protection from exposure to tobacco smoke. Article 8
explicitly states:
"Parties recognize that scientific evidence has unequivocally established that exposure to
tobacco smoke causes death, disease, and disability.
Each Party shall adopt and implement effective legislative, executive, administrative, or
other measures, providing for protection from exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor
workplaces, public transport, indoor public places and, as appropriate, other public places."
In July 2007, the Conference of the Parties to the FCTC met in its second session in
Bangkok, Thailand. Among the items discussed were guidelines for Article 8 of the FCTC.
These guidelines offer a road map for countries looking to implement effective smokefree
policies, and are based on the best practices from countries that have already gone
smokefree, like Ireland and New Zealand. The guidelines were unanimously adopted by all
Parties at the end of COP2.
Tobacco control advocates now have a legal framework for implementing effective
smokefree policies in their country.
For more information on the Article 8 guidelines, please visit the "Resources" section of the
GSP website.
