Back and Next - Back and NextPROGRESS ON TOBACCO AD BANS
Friday, November 21, 2008
Report reaching the media at the International Convention Center in Durban indicates that member countries are close to reaching an agreement, today, regarding specific guidelines that will help ensure more comprehensive ad bans across the globe.
A decision is also expected on just how aggressive the international community will be in rooting out industry interference in their health policies. This is part of the ongoing conference of the parties of the WHO Framework Convention which brought together delegates from 160 countries, representing 85 percent of the world’s population, who have ratified the first global public health and corporate accountability treaty.
Ever since the treaty’s ratification, only a few countries have managed to institute new health protection policies like ad ban and declaration of smoke-free places, thanks to coordinated tobacco industry interference. Now, in the final hours of the meeting, countries are working to put teeth into treaty guidelines which would insulate the treaty and local tobacco control from industry abuse.
“If we cannot prevent the industry from interfering in health policies, there is no law we can pass that will adequately protect our children against the dangers of tobacco addiction,” said Akinbode Oluwafemi, program manager of Environmental Rights Action, a member of Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnational (NATT). “What countries decide today can insulate the treaty and global health against the profit-driven avarice of tobacco giants.”
The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) includes more than 100 NGOs from over 50 countries working for a strong, enforceable Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Corporate Accountability International, formerly Infact, is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. For 30 years, it has forced corporations—like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria—to stop abusive actions. Corporate Accountability International, an NGO in Official Relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), played a key role in development of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
A decision is also expected on just how aggressive the international community will be in rooting out industry interference in their health policies. This is part of the ongoing conference of the parties of the WHO Framework Convention which brought together delegates from 160 countries, representing 85 percent of the world’s population, who have ratified the first global public health and corporate accountability treaty.
Ever since the treaty’s ratification, only a few countries have managed to institute new health protection policies like ad ban and declaration of smoke-free places, thanks to coordinated tobacco industry interference. Now, in the final hours of the meeting, countries are working to put teeth into treaty guidelines which would insulate the treaty and local tobacco control from industry abuse.
“If we cannot prevent the industry from interfering in health policies, there is no law we can pass that will adequately protect our children against the dangers of tobacco addiction,” said Akinbode Oluwafemi, program manager of Environmental Rights Action, a member of Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnational (NATT). “What countries decide today can insulate the treaty and global health against the profit-driven avarice of tobacco giants.”
The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) includes more than 100 NGOs from over 50 countries working for a strong, enforceable Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Corporate Accountability International, formerly Infact, is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. For 30 years, it has forced corporations—like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria—to stop abusive actions. Corporate Accountability International, an NGO in Official Relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), played a key role in development of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Author: By Kemo Cham Durban, South Africa
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