SESRIC has launched the official website of the Tobacco Free OIC Initiative in accordance with the outcomes of the “First Islamic Conference of Health Ministers”. The Tobacco Free OIC Initiative webpage aims to provide an online platform for sharing knowledge and experience in the field of Tobacco Control and informing users regarding the latest news, country updates and current statistics in the field of Tobacco usage and control in the OIC Member Countries. Also several resources, country and activity news can be reached via the web site.

Tobacco Free OIC is an initiative developed by the Statistical Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) in response to the spread of tobacco epidemic in the OIC Member Countries. The initiative aims to foster an OIC-wide coordinated approach to curb and control the spread of tobacco epidemic in the OIC Member Countries. This initiative focuses on training and capacity building programs to facilitate the development and implementation of sustainable national tobacco control strategies in the OIC Member Countries.

In accordance with the decisions and resolutions of the First Islamic Conference of Health Ministers, major objectives of the Tobacco Free OIC initiative are:

• to increase public awareness about controlling tobacco use by providing evidence-based knowledge and information, and by this way, to prevent children from starting tobacco use,
• to establish OIC networks and partnerships to exchange experiences and best practices of tobacco control strategies, initiatives, projects and programs,
• to build the capacity of relevant organizations or institutions for better policy coordination in order to achieve the goal of Tobacco Free OIC.

Tobacco Free OIC Initiative website is available through: http://www.sesric.org/tfo