[Intl-tobacco] Marlboro Man Award to China

[Robert Weissman]

For immediate release:=09=09=09=09Contact:
18 October 2002=09=09=09=09=09Patti Lynn, Infact
079.221.7848

China Opposes Meaningful Liability and Compensation Measures in FCTC,
Earns
Marlboro Man Award

GENEVA=97With logic that paralleled that of tobacco transnationals, China
argued at great length against strong and meaningful provisions on
liability
and compensation in the FCTC during Thursday=92s talks, earning itself the
Marlboro Man Award. The award, bestowed by the Network for
Accountability of
Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), exposes and challenges countries for
espousing
treaty positions that benefit the tobacco industry at the expense of
public
health. According to China, because smoking is a =93voluntary=94 and legal
practice, there should be limits on the liability of those pushing and
profiting from addictive and deadly tobacco products.

=93Tobacco corporations impose enormous costs on governments and
consumers, and
drain resources from economically-poor countries to a few shareholders
and
executives in wealthy countries. Liability and compensation is at the
heart
of holding Big Tobacco accountable for its deadly practices. While China
would let tobacco transnationals off the hook, the African region and
many
other nations are calling for strict measures in this critical area,=94
says
Muyunda Ililonga of Zambian Consumers Association, a NATT member.

China=92s insistence on raising the threshold for the FCTC=92s entry into
force
was also of major concern to NATT members. The position advocated by
China
that sixty countries representing fifty-five percent of the world=92s
tobacco
consumption would have to sign the treaty before it takes effect could
mean
that the countries with the greatest vested interests in tobacco
corporations
would have to approve the final document.

In surprising contrast to its own strong national tobacco control laws,
Canada also argued to weaken the treaty in the two areas of liability
and
compensation and entry into force. In the face of obstructionist
positions
from a handful of countries on these issues, most nations are pressing
ahead
toward provisions in these two key areas that would strengthen the
treaty and
speed its implementation.

The winner of the Marlboro Man Award will be announced each day by NATT,
based on the previous day=92s negotiations. Japan, British American
Tobacco and
Germany have also received the Marlboro Man Award in this round of
treaty
talks.

The award is named after Philip Morris=92s notorious advertising icon
because
of the Marlboro Man=92s central role in spreading tobacco addiction
globally.
The image was designed by its creator as =93the right image to capture the
youth market=92s fancy=85a perfect symbol of independence and
individualistic
rebellion.=94 Philip Morris has ridden to the top of the industry on the
strength of the Marlboro Man advertising and promotional campaign, which
has
made Marlboro the world=92s leading cigarette brand.

# # #

The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) includes
75
NGOs from 50 countries working for a strong, enforceable Framework
Convention
on Tobacco Control. NATT members in Geneva for INB5 deciding the
Marlboro Man
Awards are: Consumer VOICE (India), Environmental Rights Action
(Nigeria),
Infact (US), Sindicato Medico del Uruguay, Zambian Consumers Association.