Posted on 05/18/2003 11:41:47 AM PDT by TLBSHOW
U.S. Shocks with Promise to Back Anti-Smoking Pact
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States said Sunday it would fully support a global anti-smoking treaty at this week's world health meeting, startling observers by dropping its objections to the pact.
"I'm going to support it -- much to the surprise of many around the world," U.S. Health Secretary Tommy Thompson told journalists on the eve of the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual assembly.
Despite having some of the world's toughest anti-smoking rules, the United States, along with Germany, had opposed a clause to ban advertising saying it went against constitutional guarantees to free speech.
In what appeared to be an about-turn on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the world's first international treaty on health, Thompson said he would not call for alterations to the text.
"I'm not going to make any changes. We have no reservations. The delegation here, headed by me, is in support of the tobacco treaty," he said.
Health activists said they were thrilled by the U.S. change of heart on tobacco.
"It's an astonishing departure from the obstructionist position the United States has taken throughout the negotiations," said Kathryn Mulvey, executive director of U.S. anti-smoking alliance Infact.
However Thompson stopped short of saying the United States would ratify the pact, which aims to wean the world off a habit that kills almost five million people a year.
President Bush, bogged down with other issues such as Iraq and getting the economy back on track, had not yet had a chance to review the text with his lawyers, he said.
"The president is going to make a determination as to if and when he signs it... He's still reviewing it. It got up on his personal radar screen this past week, I've given him my pitch and he was quite supportive," he said.
The treaty seeks to tackle the consequences of tobacco use with measures ranging from a halt in advertising to a crackdown on smuggling and a ban on cigarette sales to minors.
The United Nations health agency predicts the number of people dying each year from cancer, cardiovascular disease and other conditions linked to smoking could exceed 10 million by 2020, with 70 percent of the victims in the developing world
And to the smoking nazis here on FR, keep one thing in mind,
Why is it that liberals want to legalize crack yet ban smoking?
Because they do not like tobacco?
Don't give them any ideas.
I agree that he is doing a lot that we wouldn't let the Dems get away with.
I've heard rumor of "Rush Limbaugh" retiring in the near future.
Are you interested? hehe!
I put them on the same level.
It's called fighting fire with fire, so if one want's to vent frustration because of loss of freedom's one should vent towards the Dim's.
Please post them for I guess in my busy life I have missed those atrocities that "Dubya'" has gotten away with.
Which is generally where my venting is aimed.
However, when I have a Republican working to remove my freedoms, I vent in that direction - as I am doing against Thommy boy here. As I said earlier - he was not on the ballot when I voted in 2000 - he's a nothing but a bureaucrat and deserves every bit of derison as any clintonista bureaucrat earned.
LOL?... Just where has "Dubya'" embraced them? And do you think that since "Dubya'" has taken office that things have gotten worse? Or taken even a lateral move?
TLBSHOW, alas, You have disappointed me.
I understand the frustration, as I did for 6 months before the invation of Iraq. It will work out and as I have said in the past, it takes time. Being from MN, I remember TT when he was Governor in WI. The press hated him because people in WI were going to starve because of his welfare reform program. Well not a one person starved and in the long run WI's revenues went up because of a decrease in spending and the WI people loved him. Being a bureaucrat leaves one open for discrediting, but to be compared to a "CLINTON BUREAUCRAT" is on the verge of fighting words!
Yeah, I should have made that clear, just think of whole Nations dying of aids alone, and the UN worries about smoking.
How did this happen? Is Thompson fired yet?
Everybody needs to remember the above and calm down until if and when the president signs this piece of garbage.
No, it's because, although it is dwindeling, big tabacco supports Republicans with their political gratuities.
Always remember when it comes to money...Democrat financiers..small Rebublican financiers..BIG, hence the name "Big tabacco".
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