August 18, Tobacco Free Initiative World Health Organization 20 Avenue Appia 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland. Dear Sir/Madam:

Transcription

1 August 18, 2000 Tobacco Free Initiative World Health Organization 20 Avenue Appia 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland Dear Sir/Madam: On behalf of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, I am pleased to submit the enclosed submission for the October 12-13, 2000 Hearings in connection with WHO s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Federation s Executive Board member, Dr. Mohammad N. Akhter, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, or his designee, will present the Federation s statement to the Hearings. With Best Wishes, Yours sincerely, Allen K. Jones Executive Secretary Encl. Cc: Margaret Hilson, WFPHA President Theodor Abelin, WFPHA Vice President Mohammad N. Akhter, WFPHA Executive Board Member

2 1 WFPHA Submission for WHO FCTC Hearing Geneva October 12-13, 2000 Introduction 1. The World Federation of Public Health Association is.an international, nongovernmental organization bringing together health workers throughout the world together for professional exchange, collaboration, and action. Its members currently numbering 62 associations -- are multidisciplinary national and regional public health societies whose own memberships include nurses, sanitarians, administrators, physicians, health educators, pharmacists, anthropologists, researchers, and many other persons interested in public health. 2. Founded in 1967, WFPHA is the only worldwide professional society representing the broad field of public health as distinct from single disciplines or occupations. WFPHA enjoys official relations status with the World Health Organization and maintains close ties with UNICEF and other international organizations. WFPHA Mandate 3. WFPHA s mandate and mission is to promote personal and community health throughout the world by supporting the establishment and development of societies of public health; facilitating the exchange of information, experience,

3 2 and research; and advocating for policies, programs, and practices that improve public health. WFPHA Interest in the FCTC Process 4. The WFPHA has currently made support of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, and in particular the FCTC, its primary program initiative. This is amply demonstrated by the Federation s passage of a resolution on Tobacco Control at its 8th International Congress (Arusha, Tanzania, October 1997) and the following year its issuance of a Position Paper on Global Tobacco Control. 5. Furthermore, the Federation attended and participated in the second meeting of the Working Group on the FCTC in March 2000 presenting a statement to the meeting and later, its General Assembly passed a related resolution at its 34th Annual Meeting on May 15, 2000 in Geneva supporting the FCTC process. WFPHA Sources of Funding 6. As a professional membership organization the Federation receives annual dues from its members; in addition it receives budgetary support through member contributions to support its Secretariat

4 3 WFPHA Program on Tobacco Control 7. At its recently concluded 9th International Congress in Beijing, Global Tobacco Control received wide attention including a plenary session, a symposium, a workshop and concurrent sessions as well as informal meetings with members to plan collaborative efforts such as through a Federation task force to promote tobacco control programs among its various national members. 8. The WFPHA has underway a program of promoting national tobacco control programs defined by the concepts of public health, and has already received detailed documents from a number of countries. They reflect a clear recognition of the tobacco problem, but often a lack of knowledge about past experiences in other countries. WFPHA s task force that is currently being organized is aimed at filling existing gaps. Developing Countries Not Ready for FCTC 9. It is WFPHA s observation that a number of countries are not yet ready for the kind of political action intended for the FCTC convention and its protocols. This includes public health professionals who recognize the importance of such action but are otherwise unprepared to organize, support and carry it out. This situation poses a matter of serious concern to supporters of the FCTC.

5 4 10. The leadership in these countries, which include most developing countries, are often unknowledgeable about the type of measures necessary for effective tobacco control, and run the risk of agreeing to softer measures, which have shown no preventive effect elsewhere, but have been declared acceptable by the tobacco industry in some countries. Effective FCTC Requires Detailed Tobacco Control Measures 11. It is therefore of key importance to the WFPHA that the framework convention declare clearly and in sufficient detail how the different tobacco control measures should be designed in order to be effective As many countries as possible should be engaged into the FCTC process, and thus be in a position to support and sign the Convention. Even if they are not ready for strong tobacco control measures at the beginning, they should have an opportunity to sign so that later they will be included in ongoing discussion that lead to stronger and more effective tobacco control measures. WFPHA Supports Strong, Realistic FCTC 1 For example, if a total ban of advertising is not politically feasible, advertising restrictions should at least be formulated such that they do not leave space for different interpretations. Advertising directed at children may be an example, because directed expresses an intention, which cannot be proven. Better is, advertising which should not be recognized by more than 10% of children...

6 5 13. The WFPHA therefore proposes that the Convention be formulated in strict terms concerning the types of measures aimed at, but does not commit the signatory States to political decisions that are unlikely at the time. 14. On the other hand, the protocols should offer countries that are ready politically the possibility of committing themselves to increasingly stronger measures. 15. It is expected that pressure from the health community as well as from the more advanced countries in terms of tobacco control, will then lead many other countries forward toward effective tobacco control legislation. 16. In summary, the WFPHA urges the WHO to work toward a FCTC that can obtain a large number of signatory States, rather than a FCTC that requires from the signatory States model legislation that is far reaching but realistic for only a few countries.