PHA-Exchange> Anti-tobacco treaty adopted

[Carmelita C. Canila, M.D.]

http://www.dailystarnews.com/law/200305/04/news.htm
The Daily Star, Bangladesh
Law News
25 May 2003

Anti-tobacco treaty adopted

A historical task was accomplished at the 56th World Health Assembly (WHA),
the annual meeting for Health Ministers in Geneva on May 21, 2003. The WHA
formally adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the
first public health convention negotiated under the auspices of the World
Health Organisation (WHO).

It took the WHO's 192 member countries almost four years to negotiate the
convention. The convention's final draft was agreed upon on March 1, 2003.
Consumers International (CI) led by its Asia Pacific Office played a
significant role along with CI members and other civil society organisations
in campaigning for this convention.

The adoption of the FCTC is but the first step. More arduous will be the
task of implementation. The convention will come into force 90 days after 40
members have ratified it. This is expected to be completed before the end of
the year. It will require another level of negotiations within individual
countries to formulate legislation, create the necessary regulatory
infrastructure, and earmark resources. The problems will be particularly
acute for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and other low-income countries.
Implementing the FCTC will require the political commitment of the entire
government, not just the Ministry or Department of Health. It will require
member countries to put comprehensive tobacco control on top of national
development agendas. Such agenda must be backed by political will, financial
resources and civil society participation.

Governments must continue the spirit of the convention. It aims to curb
health problems caused by a product known to be harmful yet being legally
traded in our markets. Civil society role is critical for successful
implementation and CI urges governments to include civil society in their
rule making, monitoring and educational programmes.

The tobacco epidemic already claims 5 million lives annually and if left
uncontrolled will claim 10 million lives annually by 2020. Transnational
tobacco companies have targeted developing countries as the most promising
growth markets. The FCTC gives these countries a tool to protect their
people from the influence of the tobacco TNCs' advertising, promotions and
sponsorships.









  ________________________
Carmelita C.Canila, M.D

Programme Officer
Health & Pharmaceutical

Consumers International
Asia Pacific Office
Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM,
7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg,TTDI,
60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: (603) 77261599
Fax: (603) 77268599
E-mail:   carmelita at ciroap.org
Websites: www.consumersinternational.org/roap , www.ciroap.org/apcl ,
www.ciroap.org/food


Consumers International is a federation of consumer organisations dedicated
to the protection and promotion of consumers' rights worldwide through
mpowering national consumer groups and campaigning at the international
level. It currently represents over 250 organisations in 115 countries.
For more information, see: www.consumersinternational.org