[Intl-tobacco] African nations say yes to pictorial warnings on tobacco products

[Robert Weissman]

African nations say yes to pictorial warnings on tobacco products

1 March 2002              
African countries meeting to discuss the proposed text of the world’s
first treat on tobacco—the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC)—in Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivore, accepted in principle the
implementation of pictorial health warnings on tobacco products.

African countries are currently meeting to prepare for the upcoming
fourth round of negotiations on the international treaty being
negotiated by 191 nations in Geneva, Switzerland, under the auspices of
the World Health Organization.

The African region agreed that pictograms are effective because they
have a stronger visual impact and also take illiteracy levels,
especially in developing nations, into consideration.

This means that tobacco consumers might soon be purchasing their
favourite brands embellished with images depicting, for example,
pulmonary diseases. It is expected that images could cover as much as
50% of the total package.

Adv. Patricia Lambert, Special Advisor to the South African Minister of
Health on tobacco-related issues, welcomed this decision and said: "The
implementation of pictorial health warnings has already shown positive
results in countries such as Canada and Brazil. The Canadian Cancer
Association has reported a reduction in tobacco consumption since the
implementation of these warnings."

South Africa has some of the most comprehensive tobacco control
regulations, having implemented strict controls through the Tobacco
Control Act in 2001. Even stricter regulations covering the monitoring
and compliance of these regulations and the issuing of fines are in the
pipeline for 2002.

"There is no doubt at all that tobacco kills. The international treaty
represents the first international effort to reduce tobacco consumption
and bring down tobacco-related deaths, and we are pleased to see that
the African region is committed to having a strong treaty. This recent
decision is another step in that direction," said Dr Derek Yach,
Executive Director of Noncommunicable Diseases at WHO. 


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