Dr Łukasz Balwicki from the Department of Public Health and Social Medicine of the Medical University of Gdańsk was appointed to the scientific team of the World Health Organization dealing with the illegal trade of tobacco products.

The team’s task is to conduct an investigation of the illegal tobacco market in countries on the eastern border of the European Union. The result of these activities is to be a series of scientific publications describing this phenomenon.

The team’s activities are related to the implementation of the Protocol on the elimination of illegal trade in tobacco products to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the European Tracking and Tracing system to track tobacco trading, which will enter into force in May 2019.

The implementation of the Protocol and the Tracking and Tracing system will help reduce the illegal tobacco trade and more effectively monitor the fight against the smoking addiction.