Posted on 02/19/2003 7:17:52 AM PST by new cruelty
More than 190 countries yesterday began the sixth and final round of negotiations on an international tobacco control treaty designed to reverse the growing worldwide toll of deaths from smoking.
Gro Harlem Brundtland, director-general of the World Health Organisation, said the pact aimed to save "hundreds of millions of lives".
The proposed framework convention on tobacco control, the first-ever global health treaty negotiated by the WHO, will include binding rules on tobacco taxation, smuggling, advertising and promotion, product regulation, and smoking prevention and treatment.
It is due to be adopted by health ministers at the WHO's annual assembly in May.
"The tobacco epidemic is killing 4.9m people every year, which will double in 20 years if we do nothing to stop it", Dr Brundtland said. "We know that a big part of the solution lies in promoting stop-smoking programmes, raising tobacco taxes, increasing education, banning tobacco advertising and cracking down on smuggling."
According to WHO estimates based on current smoking trends, tobacco will soon be the world's biggest killer, causing more deaths than Aids, maternal mortality, car accidents, murder and suicide combined.
About 70 per cent of smoking-related deaths from lung cancer, heart disease, strokes and other diseases will occur in developing countries.
Anti-tobacco activists have criticised the draft treaty as too weak, claiming that the WHO has bowed to pressure from the US, Japan and Germany - home to powerful tobacco companies - to water down key provisions.
In particular, the draft does not require a total advertising ban although this has the support of the great majority of rich and poor countries.
However, Dr Brundtland, who set the tobacco talks in motion and has made them a priority of her five-year term in office, said the draft was "an excellent basis for an effective treaty". The text made clear that an advertising ban was the ultimate goal, and countries with planning bans could make binding declarations to that effect.
Luis Felipe de Seixas Corrêa, Brazil's Geneva ambassador and chairman of the talks, said what was wanted was "an effective convention that will make a difference" to public health, and that meant obtaining the support of a large number of key countries.
"Then we can go forward", he said.
Scientific? Didn't I say that "health" had nothing to do with it? How in the name of Sam Hill do you "scientifically" prove something is immoral or a vice? And I didn't say my health was being harmed by second hand smoke. I said I'm forced to breathe it. Does it have to be "unhealthy" for me to oppose that?
I have no problem with you disliking smoking. Just don't use the government to impose your morals on me for no reason other than your dislikes.
Isn't there a nice anarchist forum somewhere where you could wax eloquent about the inherent goodness of human nature and the inherent "oppression" that comes with legislating morality?
And once again you prove that you're not willing to debate this point.
I haven't called you any names, I haven't even implied that you are not a conservative or a not nice person, and all I get from you are insults and implications.
I'll chalk it up to the fact, according to you, that you feel picked on.
I have said that I have no problem with your "opposing" your breathing second hand smoke. However, you can do that without legislating that businesses cannot allow smoking.
Most things of this nature that the government controls are done so on a "public health and safety" basis.
Temperatures for food, specific cleaners that can, or cannot, be used in specific settings, etc.
Morality cannot be 'legislated', it comes from within.
You win the Most Incoherent Post of the Millenium award.
And don't think we don't recognize all the hard work you put into it.
Thank you.
A drug-free cure for insomnia has at last been found.
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