At COP8 (Geneva, Switzerland, 1-6 Oct 2018) the Conference of the Parties adopted a new medium-term strategic framework (MTSF) with the title of Global Strategy to Accelerate Tobacco Control: Advancing Sustainable Development through Implementation of the WHO FCTC 2019–2025 (from now on referred to as the “Global Strategy 2025 or GS2025”).
In the late 19th century and the earlier part of the 20th century, waterpipe tobacco smoking was popular among older men in the Middle East who used primarily the harsh non-flavored referred to as Ajami tobacco. However, the introduction of flavored tobacco in the early 1990’s rapidly escalated the use among young people, starting in the Middle East and expanding to other countries and continents, through universities and schools.