The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: As a step to further limit the tobacco related public health problem, in WHO-FCTC serious attention is given to measures for product control. First, this includes measures to prescribe and test levels of specific tobacco constituents such as nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar. Although the health risks of the latter two products is well known, it is also clear the setting upper limits for only these specific constituents will not have a full spectrum impact on public health. Tobacco products and tobacco smoke contains thousands of compounds causing various effects in the short and long run. Hence, full product regulation and control is a difficult ambition to fulfill. However, as has been in use already in the field of surface water control, there may be an alternative using an ‘end of the pipe' strategy.

Methods: The idea is to use various (toxicity) testing systems which mimic smoking related health effects; ideally one validated representative test for each smoking related pathophysiology.

Results: In this paper, first a profile will be identified for setting up a set of toxicological test systems in the ‘end of the pipe strategy'. Second, based on epidemiological data weights (relative importance) will be added to the various test outcomes. Finally a multi criteria risk analysis model (ELECTRE) will be used and presented to show how information of the first three steps can be applied for risk assessment and management of tobacco products by regulators.