[Intl-tobacco] Briefing on Cigarette Smuggling

[Robert Weissman]

Dear Colleague:

The Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) has produced a position paper on
international tobacco smuggling in advance of the International Conference
on the Illict Trade in Tobacco (ICITT) to be held at UN Headquarters in New
York from 30 July to 1 August.

Total lost revenue by governments due to cigarette smuggling is
estimated at
US$25-30 billion annually. The paper argues that the root of the problem are
the perverse incentives that cause these losses to fall on national finance
ministries, not on tobacco manufacturers or wholesalers that control the
distribution system.

The paper is available on the web at:
http://www.fctc.org/ISM_smuggling_briefing.pdf (pdf version)
http://www.fctc.org/ISM_smuggling_briefing.doc (word version)
http://www.ash.org.uk/html/international/html/icittbrief.html (html version)


More information on the ICITT can be found at:
http://www.atf.treas.gov/tobacco/icitt/index.htm

Other resoures on smuggling include:

ASH London:
http://www.ash.org.uk/html/smuggling.php (one of the best sources of
information on the topic)

and:

"Illegal Pathways to Illegal Profits: The Big Cigarette Companies and
International Smuggling" (Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids)
http://tobaccofreekids.org/campaign/global/framework/docs/Smuggling.pdf



I hope you find this helpful as you prepare your country's particiaption in
the ICITT.

Cheers,

Ross Hammond
Chair, FCA Lobbying Committee
242 Edna Street
San Francisco, CA 94112
USA
Tel.      1-415-452-9322
Fax.      1-415-680-2364