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Governments urged to strengthen measures to prevent tobacco
industry interference at COP-II
Today is the
opening of the global tobacco treaty's second Conference of the
Parties (COP2), where governments will meet to advance the
critical work of implementing the world's first corporate
accountability treaty. Formally known as the World Health
Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC),
the treaty is designed to reverse the global tobacco epidemic,
which is projected to claim 10 million lives per year by 2030,
primarily in the Global South.
 Developing
countries that championed a strong, enforceable treaty
throughout negotiations are expected to push for rigorous
enforcement and to stand firm in their resistance to powerful
tobacco industry interference. Items on the agenda for the
meeting include: tobacco smuggling, protection from exposure to
tobacco smoke and tobacco advertising, promotion and
sponsorship. Ongoing funding and protection of health policy
from interference by tobacco corporations will also be
addressed.
"Big Tobacco's interference in health policy is one of the
greatest threats to the treaty's implementation and enforcement.
Philip Morris/Altria, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan
Tobacco (JT) use their political influence to weaken, delay and
defeat tobacco control legislation around the world," explains
Corporate Accountability International's Kathryn Mulvey. "While
the industry claims to have changed its ways, it continues to
use sophisticated methods to undermine meaningful legislation."
Thailand helped to set the pace for strong enforcement of the
global tobacco treaty when the government closed the
point-of-sale loophole in its tobacco-advertising ban in 2005,
and then rigorously enforced the policy change. Thai officials
have evidence that Philip Morris/Altria continued paying
7-Eleven convenience stores to put up special displays in
designated locations even after the loophole was closed. Health
officials remained vigilant and succeeded in having the ads
removed.
Members of the Network for Accountability of Tobacco
Transnationals (NATT) are urging governments to include specific
measures to guard against tobacco industry interference in the
protocols and guidelines that emerge from COP2. Decisions made
in Bangkok will guide effective implementation of the treaty at
the global and national levels, and help Parties overcome
tobacco industry opposition.
"In Kenya, our government was successful in issuing a ban on
public smoking and requiring larger health warnings on cigarette
packets, but BAT's subsidiary complained the rules were
untenable on the grounds that they were not consulted. Then the
tobacco giant sued the government in an attempt to prevent the
regulations from taking effect," says Emma Wanyonyi of Consumers
Information Network, a member of NATT in Kenya. "We need
stronger, more explicit measures to ensure that our public
health policies and their implementation are protected from
tobacco industry interference."
NATT members have documented cases of Philip Morris/Altria and
British American Tobacco interfering in treaty ratification and
implementation across the globe. However, NGOs and health
officials remain optimistic about the treaty's enforcement and
implementation.
"More than 145 countries, including over 80% of the world's
population, have committed to the obligations of the global
tobacco treaty," says Gallage Punyawardana Alvis of the Swarna
Hansa Foundation, a NATT member from Sri Lanka. "We are
confident that the second Conference of the Parties will set up
structures to fulfill these commitments, without interference
from the tobacco industry or countries that have not ratified
the treaty." Courtesy: CNS
July 1 2007
(Bobby
Ramakant is a senior journalist and health activist, reporting
from COP-II Bangkok. He can be contacted at:
bobbyramakant@yahoo.com or phone: +66.8.1563.5106)
(Patti Lynn of
Corporate Accountability International
has been instrumental in organizing allies around the world to
push governments to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control and mobilizing leaders of faith communities to endorse
the Kraft Boycott.)
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