The Nature, Scope, and Development of the Global Tobacco Control Epistemic Community
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2011
Description
Over the past 50 years, tobacco control has been transformed from a national to a global issue, becoming institutionalized in the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the fi rst international public health treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO. The global tobacco control epistemic community, a worldwide network of professionals with a common interpretation of the science in tobacco use and control, has contributed to this transformation. We investigated the development, structure, and function of this community through interviews and archival documents. Professionals in the community are bound by values and consensual knowledge developed after years of contentious debates undergirded their activities. Although these professionals play multiple roles, they recognize that scientifi c evidence should inform advocacy and policy activities. Public health professionals should continue to strengthen the links between science and advocacy for policy while being vigilant against industry efforts to undermine the scientifi c evidence on tobacco use and control.
Citation Information
Mamudu, Hadii M.; Gonzalez, Maria Elena; and Glantz, Stanton. 2011. The Nature, Scope, and Development of the Global Tobacco Control Epistemic Community. American Journal of Public Health. Vol.101(11). 2044-2054. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300303 PMID: 21940926 ISSN: 0090-0036