Twenty-seven countries, among them the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the European Community gathered this week to sign the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the world's first public health treaty, leading the fight to reverse the global tobacco epidemic.
The World Health Organization (WTO)-initiated treaty bans tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship with exceptions only for constitutional reasons, and protects public health policy from tobacco industry interference.
The FCTC, which sets precedents for international regulation of other industries that threaten health, the environment and human rights, enters into force and becomes international law after 40 countries ratify it.
"Even as we celebrate this milestone, we are well aware that giant tobacco corporations are continuing their aggressive efforts to derail the swift implementation of this groundbreaking treaty. As the political battles over the FCTC now move to capitals across the globe, vigilance to Big Tobacco's dirty tricks becomes more important than ever," says Kathryn Mulvey, executive director of Infact, a US-based corporate accountability organization.
South Africa and Palau are among the countries that led the way toward a strong FCTC and were among the first to sign the treaty. Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the European Community, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Italy, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden and the UK also signed the treaty at its opening. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
