ASH PR:
International Treaty to Require Total Smoking Bans Worldwide
Separation and Ventilation Rejected as Scientifically Unsound
Guidelines for enforcement of the world's first antismoking
and nonsmokers' rights treaty will require the almost 150 countries
which have already become parties to ban virtually all smoking in
"indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor public places, and as
appropriate, other public places."
The official guidelines specifically reject other approaches including
"ventilation, air filtration and use of designated smoking areas
(whether with separate ventilation systems or not)," as "contradicted
by scientific evidence." The guidelines also call for tough
enforcement mechanisms.
Action on
Smoking and Health (ASH), the organization which started the
modern nonsmokers' rights movement, and which played a major role in
the adoption of both the treaty and now the guidelines, hailed the
guidelines as a major step forward in protecting the rights of
nonsmokers, and in making clear that there is no legal or moral right
to smoke.
The complete guidelines, which can be found at http://ash.org/fctcguidelines
spell out in very precise terms what the signatory countries must now
do under international law. They are also expected to affect
countries such as the U.S., which has not yet ratified the treaty, by
putting increased pressure on them to become smokefree.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control [FCTC], as the world treaty
is officially known, has already been the catalyst for helping persuade
more than a dozen countries to go smokefree, and many more are now
already considering it, even prior to the release of the FCTC guidelines.
FOR A LIST OF COUNTRIES, SEE: http://ash.org/intltravel
ASH's Executive
Director John Banzhaf,
whose legal complaints have trigged smoking bans both here are abroad,
says the new guidelines should provide additional strong ammunition for
activist lawyers such as himself to file more legal actions if
countries fail to comply -- or if
they fail to effectively enforce existing smoking ban laws.
The guidelines will also help attorneys both here and in foreign
countries who wish to bring legal actions for damages against
businesses, employers, and other who subject workers or customers to
tobacco smoke by presenting a truly world scientific consensus that
tobacco smoke is deadly and causes cancer and other deadly diseases in
nonsmokers, and that there is no safe lower level of exposure to which
people should ever be subjected.
The eight principles embraced by the FCTC's smoke-free air provisions,
by the draft implementation guidelines, and by the Global
Smokefree Partnership (GSP) of which ASH is a members include:
1. Secondhand smoke is a significant health hazard.
2. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
3. There is no safe alternative to 100 percent smoke-free public places
and workplaces.
4. Ventilation, air filtration systems and designated smoking areas or
rooms do not protect people from secondhand smoke.
5. All people should be protected from secondhand smoke.
6. All workers have the right to work in smoke-free workplaces.
7. Legislation without exemptions is needed to protect people from the
dangers of secondhand smoke.
8. Effective enforcement, implementation and monitoring provisions are
necessary components of effective legislation.
This information is presented as a public service by:
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
2013 H Street NW / Washington, DC 20006 / (202) 659-4310
A national nonprofit, scientific and educational organization founded in 1967.
All donations are fully tax deductible.
Material on this page may be freely reproduced, distributed, and circulated
with attribution given to Action on Smoking and Health.
Dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. Warren Wells