High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly on May 21, 2003. It became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution. The treaty came into force on February 27, 2005. It had been signed by 168 countries and is legally binding in 176 ratifying/accessioned countries. There are currently 20 non-parties to the treaty (11 which have not signed and 9 which have signed but not ratified).