FCTC Treaty Hailed at World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Finland [08/04-2]
Excerpts from: Health experts meet for anti-tobacco summit in Finland
Health-AFP
[08/03/03]
Senior officials hailed the World Health Organisation's recent treaty on tobacco
control as a major breakthrough at the opening ceremony of an annual convention
on the health risks of smoking.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), agreed by the WHO's 192
member states in May, aims to curb tobacco sales, advertising and marketing
in a bid to cut the number of smoking-related deaths.
So far 46 countries, as well as the European Union, have signed the treaty.
"The Framework Convention is a tipping point in the history of tobacco
control. It means that the writing is not on the wall for Big Tobacco -- it's
in a treaty," Byrne said.
"It shows clearly the commitment of governments all over the world to
fight the tobacco scourge and put the health of their citizen's first,"
he noted.
"It confirms that on tobacco control, the tide is turning."
Byrne also announced that the EU Commission would step up its campaign against
smoking with the introduction of full-color photographs as health warnings on
tobacco products, with extra regulation of the ingredients of tobacco products
and through a ban on smoking in the workplace.
The 12th World Conference on Tobacco or Health, taking place under the banner
of Global Action for a Tobacco Free Future and gathering over 2,000 scientists
and activists from 115 countries here, ends on August 8.
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