News
release
Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada
Canadian Cancer Society
Heart and Stroke Foundation
Friday, February 28, 2003
New Global Tobacco Treaty Welcomed
Geneva, Switzerland – Representatives of Canadian
health agencies today congratulated the World Health
Organization and its member states for the
hard-fought culmination of negotiations towards the
Framework Convention and Tobacco Control (FCTC).
“This treaty clearly represents an important global
response to the globalized problem of tobacco.” said
Neil Collishaw of Physicians for a Smoke-Free
Canada. “It is the first health treaty in
modern times, and shows that a rules-based global
system can include rules which advance and support
public health.” Fittingly, the WHO chose
tobacco, the world’s leading cause of preventable
death, as the focus of the first public health
treaty in modern times.
The adoption of the treaty text came today at the
end of 29 months and six rounds of negotiation.
The FCTC contains measures to ban or restrict
tobacco advertising, require large health warnings,
ban misleading descriptors, protect the public from
second hand smoke, encourage tobacco tax increases,
control cigarette smuggling, and support smokers who
want to quit. Other measures include
research collaboration and support to developing
countries in implementing effective tobacco control
measures.
“The treaty will help countries put in place the
comprehensive policy measures which have been proven
effective at reducing smoking,” said Elinor Wilson
of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. “By
establishing minimum standards in a number of areas,
and encouraging countries to go even further than
their treaty commitments, it will provide for
continuing progress against this global public
health problem.”
The non-governmental delegates noted the leadership
that Canada has taken in the development of this
treaty. “The Canadian presence during these
negotiations strengthened the treaty in at least two
major ways,” observed Rob Cunningham of the Canadian
Cancer Society. “Firstly, Canada has pioneered
many of the measures which are included in the
treaty for adoption world-wide, such as picture
health warnings. Secondly, the high respect
given to the Canadian delegation allowed it to be
effective in promoting stronger measures.”
“The
treaty and global tobacco control will only get
stronger,” predicted Cynthia Callard of Physicians
for a Smoke-Free Canada. “With this treaty,
developing countries now have a realistic chance of
getting the technical and financial help they need
to implement strong domestic tobacco control
policies.”
Through Health Canada and CIDA, the government of
Canada supported the participation of
non-governmental organizations during FCTC
negotiations, including citizens from Canada and
developing countries. “We return to Ottawa
eager to discuss ways of accelerating the
ratification of and implementation of this treaty,”
said Elinor Wilson of the Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada.
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