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The Global Tobacco Epidemic Report (2008) of
World Health Organization underlines not only the evidence-based
fact that tobacco epidemic is worsening but also recommends a
comprehensive package of six-effective tobacco control policies
– clubbed as 'MPOWER' that have demonstrated results in
helping countries stop the diseases, deaths and economic damages
caused by tobacco use.
However the global tobacco epidemic stands starkly apart from
other conventional disease control programmes because of an
aggressive tobacco industry that is hell-bent on protecting and
expanding its markets globally, particularly in the developing
countries of Asia and Africa. The six-effective tobacco control
policies recommended under the MPOWER package doesn't include
holding tobacco corporations accountable specifically, although
it is inherent in each of them!
The MPOWER package includes:
M: stands for 'monitor' tobacco use and prevention policies (not
the tobacco corporations). Assessment of tobacco use and its
impact must be strengthened.
P: stands for 'protect' people from tobacco smoke. All people
have a fundamental right to breathe clean air. Smoke-free places
are essential to protect non-smokers and also to encourage
smokers to quit.
O: stands for 'offer' help to quit tobacco use. Services to
treat tobacco dependence are fully available in only nine
countries with 5% of the world's population. Countries must
establish programmes providing low-cost, effective interventions
for tobacco users who want to quit.
W: stands for 'warn' about the dangers of tobacco use. Despite
conclusive evidence, relatively few tobacco users understand the
full extent of their health risk. Graphic warnings on tobacco
packaging deter tobacco use, yet only 15 countries, representing
6% of the world's population, mandate pictorial warnings
(covering at least 30% of the principal surface area) and just
five countries with a little over 4% of the world's people, meet
the highest standards for pack warnings. More than 40% of the
world's population lives in countries that do not prevent use of
misleading and deceptive terms such as 'light' and 'low tar'.
E: stands for 'enforce' bans on tobacco advertising, promotion
and sponsorship. Partial bans on tobacco advertising, promotion
and sponsorship, do not work because the industry merely
redirects its resources to other non-regulated marketing
channels. Only a total ban can reduce tobacco consumption and
protect people, particularly youth, from industry marketing
tactics. Only 5% of the world's population currently lives in
countries with comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising,
promotion and sponsorship.
R: stands for 'raised' taxes on tobacco. Raising taxes
and therefore prices, is the most effective way to reduce
tobacco use, and especially to discourage young people from
using tobacco. Only 4 countries, representing 2% of the world's
population, have tax rates greater than 75% of retail price.
"Reversing this entirely preventable epidemic must now rank
as a top priority for public health and for political leaders in
every country of the world" said Dr Margaret Chan,
Director-General of the WHO in the summary.
But without holding tobacco corporations accountable and
monitoring them stringently to ensure that every component of
MPOWER works with the utmost impact, reversing the global
tobacco epidemic shall remain a daunting challenge.
Tobacco corporations across the world have been not only
aggressively protecting and promoting their tobacco markets,
particularly in the developing countries, but also trying their
best to either abort or weaken the public health policies that
begin to take shape in countries around the world.
"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. While the
industry claims to have changed its ways, it continues to use
sophisticated methods to undermine meaningful legislation"
had said rightly Kathy Mulvey of Corporate Accountability
International at the recent meeting last year on the global
tobacco treaty – the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
FCTC, or the first public health and corporate accountability
treaty, is a testimony that more than 150 countries globally are
committed to decimating the global tobacco epidemic. The WHO's
MPOWER package of six-effective tobacco control policies gives a
road map to reduce tobacco use.
The alert monitoring of tobacco corporations and holding them
accountable for violating existing health policies in present
and the past will complement the impact of the MPOWER package in
reducing tobacco use globally.
February
2008
The author is working as Asian Correspondent and is a
member of Network for
Accountability
of Tobacco
Transnationals (NATT). He can be contacted at:
bobbyramakant@yahoo.com
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