UN World Health Organization Announces Agreement on Global Tobacco Control

United Nations - World Health Organization ^ | March 1, 2003

[HAL9000]

Agreement reached on global Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

"Major step forward for health of peoples and nations" - Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland

1 March 2003 | GENEVA -- 171 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) have finalized a groundbreaking public health treaty to control tobacco supply and consumption. They agreed on a final text for a WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) governing tobacco taxation, smoking prevention and treatment, illicit trade, advertising, sponsorship and promotion, and product regulation.

The negotiations, the final round of which began on 17 February, conclude four years of work to produce an international tobacco control treaty. The agreement is part of a global strategy to reduce tobacco-related deaths and disease around the world.

"The convention we have agreed on is a real milestone in the history of global public health," said Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO. "Moreover, it is a milestone in international collaboration in a globalized world. It means nations will be working systematically together to protect the lives of present and future generations, and take on shared responsibilities to make this world a better and healthier place. I congratulate our Member States on their courage and vision in drafting a treaty that will effectively reduce the impact of tobacco on the health of populations for decades to come."

"Tobacco kills in every country of the world, and probably most of us know someone who has died," she added. "Due to the actions that will follow from our shared commitments, millions and millions of lives will be saved. The treaty based on the determination and inspiration of the many who have worked so hard to conclude an effective and strong convention."

The final text will be presented to the World Health Assembly in May for adoption. Once it has been adopted, the FCTC will be opened for signature by Member States. The treaty will come into force shortly after it has been ratified by 40 countries.

The text requires signatory parties to implement comprehensive tobacco control programmes and strategies at the national, regional and local levels. In its preamble, the text explicitly recognizes the need to protect public health, the unique nature of tobacco products and the harm that companies that produce them cause.

Some of the key elements of the final text include:

Taxes - The text formally recognizes that tax and price measures are an important way of reducing tobacco consumption, particularly in young people, and requires signatories to consider public health objectives when implementing tax and price policies on tobacco products.

Labelling - The text requires that at least 30 per cent - but ideally 50 per cent or more - of the display area on tobacco product packaging is taken up by clear health warnings in the form of text, pictures or a combination of the two. Packaging and labelling requirements also prohibit misleading language that gives the false impression that the product is less harmful than others. This may include the use of terms such as "light", "mild" or "low tar".

Advertising - While all countries agreed that a comprehensive ban would have a significant impact in reducing the consumption of tobacco products, some countries have constitutional provisions -- for example, those covering free speech for commercial purposes -- that will not allow them to implement a complete ban in all media. The final text requires parties to move towards a comprehensive ban within five years of the convention entering into force. It also contains provisions for countries that cannot implement a complete ban by requiring them to restrict tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship within the limits of their laws.

The text also explicitly requires signatories to the convention to look at the possibility of a protocol to provide a greater level of detail on cross-border advertising. This could include the technical aspects of preventing or blocking advertising in areas such as satellite television and the internet.

Liability - Parties to the convention are encouraged to pursue legislative action to hold the tobacco industry liable for costs related to tobacco use.

Financing - Parties are required to provide financial support to their national tobacco control programmes. In addition, the text encourages the use and promotion of existing development funding for tobacco control. A number of countries and development agencies, have already pledged their commitment to include tobacco control as a development priority.

The text also requires countries to promote treatment programmes to help people stop smoking and education to prevent people from starting, to prohibit sales of tobacco products to minors, and to limit public exposure to second-hand smoke.

The elements of the treaty reflect WHO and World Bank policies on a comprehensive plan to reduce global tobacco consumption. While there have been nearly 20 World Health Assembly resolutions to support tobacco control since 1970, the difference with this treaty is that these obligations will become legally binding for Parties to the convention once it comes into force.

Audio visual materials: Video including interviews with key players will be available from the European Broadcasting Union in conjunction with this release. Photographs are available at www.who.int/multimedia

For more information contact:

Ms Julie Archer - Information Officer
WHO
Telephone: (+41 22) 791 1426
Email: archerj@who.int

[HAL9000]

Now the UN can tackle their next project - The War on Unhealthy Foods and Global Meat Control.

[DoughtyOne]

This is one of the dumbest ideas I've seen in a long time.

[HAL9000]

Attention smokers -

Here are the new rules from your friendly unelected World Government -

WHO Intergovernmental Body -
Chair's text of a framework convention on tobacco control (Revised) - INB6/2 PDF Document - 179 KB file size

[maryz]

This is one of the dumbest ideas I've seen in a long time.

Consider the source, consider the source.

You'd think that clean water and sanitation would do lots more for world health than an anti-tobacco campaign. But that would require actual work, not just general butting in and being in on a cool trend.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

"A woman is only a woman but a good cigar is a smoke."

A Cuban model walks the catwalk Thursday Feb. 27, 2003, during a fashion show at the Havana's 5th Cigar festival in Cuba. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia)

Cigar quotes

[KS Flyover]

[self_evident]

You'd think that clean water and sanitation would do lots more for world health than an anti-tobacco campaign. But that would require actual work, not just general butting in and being in on a cool trend.

Not just a cool trend. They are in it for the money, and you can't tax dirty water and peeing in the street.

[waxhaw]

This has nothing to do with health or the alleged harm tobacco causes - it has to do with conditioning and control of people and nations. It will serve as a pretty good test case for the emerging one-world government.

[noutopia]

Bill Clinton President Of Yhe World. Sorry I Just dont see it.

[azhenfud]

"Tobacco kills in every country of the world, and probably most of us know someone who has died," she added. "Due to the actions that will follow from our shared commitments, millions and millions of lives will be saved. The treaty based on the determination and inspiration of the many who have worked so hard to conclude an effective and strong convention."

Abortion kills millions and millions of lives: is it gonna be next on the list? Sad such effort isn't placed there....

[Bahbah]

"and probably most of us know someone who has died,"

Woah, that's deep.

[Beck_isright]

Thank goodness. I was just worried that we had the market cornered on behavior control Nazis. I'm glad to see we're sharing our march on purity with the rest of the world. I'm sure the Hitler worshippers can not wait until the governments of the world sign an agreement on genetic purity controls too.

[WVNan]

Why not this effort against poppy growing? Or cocaine? or MJ?

[martian_22]

Of course this whole idea will have to be funded....tobacco is the cash cow that one can keep on milking.

Support Prop.1146.

[Free_at_last_-2001]

Why not this effort against poppy growing? Or cocaine? or MJ? - because people who are drugged up are easier to control and manipulate - a necessity for world socialism.

But why do liberals hate cigarettes, is it that they are actually good for you and keep other diseases at bay or is it that liberals need at least one thing to be right about.

My rule of thumb is if a liberal/socialist says "it's good" it must be bad and if he says "it's bad" it is most likely good!

[longtermmemmory]

This is the UN desperatly looking for a source of taxes. This is not about health this is about funding taxes.

(btw: Greece has a 65% smoking rate and they are generally among the longest lived countries. Recently the health minister responded to criticism for refusing to use gory austrailian anti-smoking commercials, "are we going to take even the smallest joys from peoples lives? We need to be realistic." Surprised the heck out of me to see that on their government tv station.)

[nononsense]

It starts with tobacco, then the next thing is guns. I would have thought that cocaine, marijuana, and other illegal drugs are just as much a threat to lives of millions, but that would too much effort and some of these socialists commie demons would have to take a paycut.

[azhenfud]

"Why not this effort against poppy growing? Or cocaine? or MJ?"

Let me guess - tobacco is legal in America, those others aren't, right?

[azhenfud]

Those at the United Numbskulls are demonstrating their "irrelevance"....