BMJ  2003;327 (19 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7407.0-d

First WHO treaty tackles international tobacco control

Tobacco control requires international collaboration and action, but getting governments to agree on strategies is difficult. Shibuya and colleagues (p 154) describe the development of the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, an evidence based global public health treaty that was endorsed by member states on 21 May 2003. It represents the first time that WHO has used its constitutional authority to develop a legal instrument for improving health. Drawing on scientific evidence, the convention includes measures relating to reducing the demand for tobacco (price and tax measures, restrictions on tobacco advertising) and the supply of tobacco (restriction of sales to minors, economically viable alternatives for growers). The authors state that these interventions could reduce the global burden of disease attributable to tobacco by up to 60%.

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Relevant Article

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: development of an evidence based global public health treaty

Kenji Shibuya, Christina Ciecierski, Emmanuel Guindon, Douglas W Bettcher, David B Evans, and Christopher J L Murray
BMJ 2003 327: 154-157. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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