PHM-Exch> Fight may cost Big Tobacco a packet

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: David Legge <D.Legge at latrobe.edu.au>


*Fight may cost Big Tobacco a packet *

*Amy Corderoy*****

*March 24, 2012* ****

*Australia's plain-pack laws are pivotal in the global battle to cut
smoking, writes Amy Corderoy.*****
Margaret Chan, the head of the World Health Organisation, will fight this
battle to the death.

She addresses her enemy: ''You run a killing and intimidating industry, but
not in a crush-proof box. The number and fortitude of your public health
enemies will damage your health - tobacco industry.''****

Her army, equipped with research papers and funding grants, gathered this
week for the World Conference on Tobacco or Health.****

And all their eyes are on Australia.****

''The success in Australia is going to be the success of the world,'' Chan
tells the audience filling the vast ballroom of Singapore's Suntec
Convention Centre. ''It has to be a success because many countries are
looking to Australia for leadership and inspiration.''****

''Can we allow this to fail?'' she asks.****

''No,'' the crowd mumbles.****

''You are soft today, say it again!''****

''NO!''****

The stakes are high. Tobacco campaigners used to quote the shocking figure
that in the 20th century tobacco killed 100 million people, more than all
wars combined. Based on present smoking rates, in the 21st century 1
billion people will die from tobacco-related illnesses.****

When federal laws requiring plain packaging for all tobacco products come
into force in December, Australia will become the first country in the
world to completely ban all tobacco advertising.****

Public health advocates believe the legislation could be the beginning of
the end for Big Tobacco - and that thought must also have crossed the mind
of the industry.****

There are now three separate court cases fighting the laws. In February
last year, Philip Morris Asia bought Philip Morris Australia, allowing it
four months later to launch a suit claiming the legislation violated a
trade agreement with Hong Kong.****

The company, along with British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and JT
International, have launched an action in the High Court claiming the move
is unconstitutional.****

And Ukraine, a country in which nearly half of 13-year-old boys and one in
three 13-year-old girls have tried cigarettes, has begun proceedings
against Australia under World Trade Organisation laws.****

Anti-tobacco campaigners have long argued that sleek market-researched
cigarette packets are the last method tobacco companies can use to promote
their brand.****

The director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute and a professor of
health policy at Curtin University, Mike Daube, says he has no doubt the
fight against tobacco is being won in developed countries. ''For the first
20 to 25 years I worked in tobacco, people would be saying: 'You've failed,
you've failed.' Now they're asking: 'What's the secret to your success?'''**
**

This week Daube was awarded the equivalent of the Oscar of public health
campaigning, the American Cancer Society's Luther L Terry distinguished
career award.****
Daube argues the court challenges are to delay plain packaging, and they
will not be able to stop its implementation. And as soon as there is a
major victory a domino effect is likely, with Britain, New Zealand and some
Nordic countries likely to follow.

All it takes is for countries to appoint health ministers willing to take
on the fight. And it's for that reason the tobacco industry will use
everything it's got to fight this to the bitter end.


Read the rest of this article at



http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/fight-may-cost-big-tobacco-a-packet-20120323-1vp5d.html#ixzz1qATZWYpG
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