TY - JOUR T1 - Achieving the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s potential by investing in national capacity JF - Tobacco Control JO - Tob Control SP - 433 LP - 437 DO - 10.1136/tc.2003.006106 VL - 13 IS - 4 AU - H Wipfli AU - F Stillman AU - S Tamplin AU - V Luiza da Costa e Silva AU - D Yach AU - J Samet Y1 - 2004/12/01 UR - http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/13/4/433.abstract N2 - May 2003 marked a critical achievement in efforts to stem the global tobacco epidemic, as the member states of the World Health Organization unanimously endorsed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, the adoption of the FCTC signifies only the end of the beginning of effective global action to control tobacco. Over the next several years the utility of the FCTC process and the treaty itself will be tested as individual countries seek to ratify and implement the treaty’s obligations. Significant barriers to the treaty’s long term success exist in many countries. It is crucial that the international tobacco control community now refocuses its efforts on national capacity building and ensures that individual countries have the knowledge, tools, data, people, and organisations needed to implement the convention and develop sustained tobacco control programmes. This paper provides a model of national tobacco control capacity and offers a prioritised agenda for action. ER -