[Intl-tobacco] WHO trying to control industry: Tobacco giant (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

WHO trying to control industry: Tobacco giant
Source: The National, Thursday, 3/16/00

TOBACCO companies in PNG and around the world are fighting a rear-guard
war against what they claim are attempts by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) to control the industry.

The British American Tobacco (BAT) companies yesterday started a media
awareness campaign to alert governments worldwide of the moves by the WHO
that risk undermining the governments' self-determination.

The BAT called on the WHO to embark on constructive engagement with all
stakeholders, and not only with an international coalition of anti-tobacco
advocates.

The BAT said the WHO may be exceeding the legal powers established on its
constitution, and that its proposals risk removing the governments' right
to determine their priorities and to develop policies suited to their
countries' social and economic needs.

One proposal likely to cause particular concern is that governments should
fund phamarcological "treatments" such as nicotine patches.

BAT (PNG) Ltd general manager John Alsbury said letters are been written
to the Ministers of Health, Treasury and Finance and Justice about the
WHO's proposal for a "supra-national", legally-binding international
convention on tobacco control - the first time such convention on any
matter it has attempted to put in place.

"Our companies are ready to engage constructively on any tobacco policy
issues, including health.

"We acknowledge the health concerns associated with smoking and we endorse
sensible regulation. As we recently said in offering the British
government a 'third way' on tobacco issues, we seek to resolve stalemate
and conflict, and to work on constructive solutions to the many policy
issues surrounding tobacco production and consumption."

Mr Alsbury said the WHO has a major role in promoting health policy, "but
we believe its proposals are fundamentally flawed".

He said if the WHO sees tobacco control as a high priority, it should
embark on full and open dialogue and consultation to create a policy
environment capable of responding to the needs of consumers, producers and
other key stakeholders.

"It is regrettable that our own repeated overtures to the WHO have been
consistently rejected.

"Should the WHO proposals go ahead, the outcome would be a unique example
of a consumer product and an industry being regulated to an unprecedented
degree, without key stakeholders being consulted," Mr Alsbury said.

He says the WHO has specifically rejected tobacco growers, manufacturers
and consumers and related industries from formal consultation on its
proposed "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" despite repeated
requests and attempts to contribute on issues of shared concern.

The BAT believes that the WHO proposals could duplicate, undermine or
conflict with established international agreements on many issues,
including free trade.

Some key areas that the WHO proposal appears to conflict with include
established international agreements and standards by bodies such as the
World Trade Organisation and the World Customs Organisation. Areas likely
to be affected include:

n Free trade;

n Taxation and excise duty;

n Testing of tobacco products;

n Packaging, labelling and manufacturing standards;

n Proposed agricultural studies; and

n A ban on all advertising and Internet sales.