Tobacco lobby threatens to derail global antismoking treaty
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《英国医生杂志》
World Health Organization officials say that a global anti-tobacco pact that becomes law on 27 February still has a long way to go before its tough antismoking measures are adopted in many countries.
WHO's 192 member states adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003. Since then, 168 countries have signed it; 55 of these have ratified it, but only a few have passed its terms into law.
The convention includes a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, marketing, and sponsorship; tough standards for health warnings on cigarette packets; and a ban on descriptions such as "lights" and "low tar."
At a meeting at WHO's headquarters in Geneva earlier, member states proposed creating an independent body to help them implement the treaty without becoming vulnerable to pressure from the tobacco industry.
Spokeswoman Marta Seoane said that governments had proposed that the treaty secretariat should be accountable to countries that ratify it and that it should be based at WHO. Japan, whose government partly owns and controls the world's third largest tobacco company, Japan Tobacco, had opposed the plan.
Ms Seoane said that WHO member states also agreed to invite non-governmental organisations—who had lobbied hard to fend off industry pressure and push for a tough antismoking treaty—to meetings of the future secretariat.
They agreed that a screening mechanism was needed to keep out pseudoactivists in the pay of the tobacco industry. These proposals will be decided at a meeting in coming months.
"There's still a lot to do; the real work will start now at country level with the implementation of the treaty," Ms Seoane said, adding, "So far the response has been good."
The treaty was adopted despite a sustained campaign by the tobacco lobby via certain governments to dilute it—particularly the United States, Germany, and Japan.
Signs indicate, however, that pressure from the industry has not let up. At the Geneva meeting, the United States proposed a clear reference to global trade rules in the future secretariat's rules of procedure, even though the legally binding treaty gives governments the right to prioritise health over trade issues.
"If this is adopted, advertising, labelling, all of these things could still be attacked under trade law," said Kathryn Mulvey of US non-governmental organisation, Corporate Accountability.
Tobacco companies have shifted their marketing focus away from the rich industrialised West to developing countries. Poor countries are now more vulnerable to the powerful tobacco industry and need support in implementing tough anti-tobacco measures.
Ms Mulvey said that recently a group of Kenyan parliamentarians was invited on a beach holiday by a tobacco company ahead of a debate in the Kenyan parliament on tobacco control.(Fiona Fleck)
WHO's 192 member states adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003. Since then, 168 countries have signed it; 55 of these have ratified it, but only a few have passed its terms into law.
The convention includes a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, marketing, and sponsorship; tough standards for health warnings on cigarette packets; and a ban on descriptions such as "lights" and "low tar."
At a meeting at WHO's headquarters in Geneva earlier, member states proposed creating an independent body to help them implement the treaty without becoming vulnerable to pressure from the tobacco industry.
Spokeswoman Marta Seoane said that governments had proposed that the treaty secretariat should be accountable to countries that ratify it and that it should be based at WHO. Japan, whose government partly owns and controls the world's third largest tobacco company, Japan Tobacco, had opposed the plan.
Ms Seoane said that WHO member states also agreed to invite non-governmental organisations—who had lobbied hard to fend off industry pressure and push for a tough antismoking treaty—to meetings of the future secretariat.
They agreed that a screening mechanism was needed to keep out pseudoactivists in the pay of the tobacco industry. These proposals will be decided at a meeting in coming months.
"There's still a lot to do; the real work will start now at country level with the implementation of the treaty," Ms Seoane said, adding, "So far the response has been good."
The treaty was adopted despite a sustained campaign by the tobacco lobby via certain governments to dilute it—particularly the United States, Germany, and Japan.
Signs indicate, however, that pressure from the industry has not let up. At the Geneva meeting, the United States proposed a clear reference to global trade rules in the future secretariat's rules of procedure, even though the legally binding treaty gives governments the right to prioritise health over trade issues.
"If this is adopted, advertising, labelling, all of these things could still be attacked under trade law," said Kathryn Mulvey of US non-governmental organisation, Corporate Accountability.
Tobacco companies have shifted their marketing focus away from the rich industrialised West to developing countries. Poor countries are now more vulnerable to the powerful tobacco industry and need support in implementing tough anti-tobacco measures.
Ms Mulvey said that recently a group of Kenyan parliamentarians was invited on a beach holiday by a tobacco company ahead of a debate in the Kenyan parliament on tobacco control.(Fiona Fleck)