Tobacco campaigners worried by slow progress on convention
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《英国医生杂志》
A year after the World Health Assembly adopted the framework convention on tobacco control, the goal of having 40 countries ratify the treaty by 29 June is proving elusive.
While 192 member nations of the World Health Organization backed the convention last year, only 113 countries have taken the first step towards implementing it by signing it. Of these only 13 have taken the next step and ratified it (indicating a country抯 agreement to be bound by the provisions after the convention comes into force), most of which are developing countries. The only developed countries to ratify the convention are New Zealand and Norway.
Key provisions of the convention—which will come into force 90 days after 40 countries have ratified it—include bans on advertising and promotion, support for tax increases, and protecting people from second hand smoke.
The European Union is expected to ratify the convention at its early June meeting in Ireland. The seven EU accession states that haven抰 yet ratified are expected to follow. That would bring the total number of countries to ratify it to 35. South Africa and Thailand both strong supporters of the convention, have yet to do so.
WHO抯 representative for the South Pacific, Dr Ken Chen, said that last week the Cook Islands announced at a meeting for Pacific nations on the treaty that it would sign the convention (but would be unlikely to ratify it by 29 June). "Most of the Pacific nations have indicated that they intend to sign the convention before 29 June," Dr Chen said.
After 29 June nations that haven抰 signed the convention can only move to the second stage of implementing the convention, by ratifying it, rather than by first signing it and then ratifying it. If a country ratifies the convention it is obliged to implement its provisions. Advocates of tobacco control consider that ratification is a higher threshold to get governments to agree to.
Within a year of the convention抯 coming into force the ratifying countries will convene to plan its implementation. However, a crucial meeting to determine key administrative arrangements for its implementation is scheduled to occur in Geneva in June. To the dismay of tobacco control advocates the meeting is open to countries that have not ratified the convention.
Last week the US health and human services secretary, Tommy Thompson, signed the convention. However, ratification requires the support of a two thirds majority in the Senate. Mr Thompson indicated that the treaty would be submitted to the Senate only after "further inter-agency review."
Ross Hammond, the convenor of the lobbying committee of the Framework Convention Alliance—an umbrella group of tobacco control groups—sees the announcement by the United States as the country抯 method of positioning itself for the June meeting in Geneva, where it wants to shape the implementation of a convention it failed to derail.
He said, "We have been warning countries about the United States: 慏on抰 listen to their proposals because they will never be a party to the convention.?They shouldn抰 be allowed to determine rules for countries that are actually serious about doing something about tobacco."(Canberra Bob Burton)
While 192 member nations of the World Health Organization backed the convention last year, only 113 countries have taken the first step towards implementing it by signing it. Of these only 13 have taken the next step and ratified it (indicating a country抯 agreement to be bound by the provisions after the convention comes into force), most of which are developing countries. The only developed countries to ratify the convention are New Zealand and Norway.
Key provisions of the convention—which will come into force 90 days after 40 countries have ratified it—include bans on advertising and promotion, support for tax increases, and protecting people from second hand smoke.
The European Union is expected to ratify the convention at its early June meeting in Ireland. The seven EU accession states that haven抰 yet ratified are expected to follow. That would bring the total number of countries to ratify it to 35. South Africa and Thailand both strong supporters of the convention, have yet to do so.
WHO抯 representative for the South Pacific, Dr Ken Chen, said that last week the Cook Islands announced at a meeting for Pacific nations on the treaty that it would sign the convention (but would be unlikely to ratify it by 29 June). "Most of the Pacific nations have indicated that they intend to sign the convention before 29 June," Dr Chen said.
After 29 June nations that haven抰 signed the convention can only move to the second stage of implementing the convention, by ratifying it, rather than by first signing it and then ratifying it. If a country ratifies the convention it is obliged to implement its provisions. Advocates of tobacco control consider that ratification is a higher threshold to get governments to agree to.
Within a year of the convention抯 coming into force the ratifying countries will convene to plan its implementation. However, a crucial meeting to determine key administrative arrangements for its implementation is scheduled to occur in Geneva in June. To the dismay of tobacco control advocates the meeting is open to countries that have not ratified the convention.
Last week the US health and human services secretary, Tommy Thompson, signed the convention. However, ratification requires the support of a two thirds majority in the Senate. Mr Thompson indicated that the treaty would be submitted to the Senate only after "further inter-agency review."
Ross Hammond, the convenor of the lobbying committee of the Framework Convention Alliance—an umbrella group of tobacco control groups—sees the announcement by the United States as the country抯 method of positioning itself for the June meeting in Geneva, where it wants to shape the implementation of a convention it failed to derail.
He said, "We have been warning countries about the United States: 慏on抰 listen to their proposals because they will never be a party to the convention.?They shouldn抰 be allowed to determine rules for countries that are actually serious about doing something about tobacco."(Canberra Bob Burton)