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US Attempt to Increase Tobacco Industry Access to Public Policy-Making Earns Marlboro Man Award FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACTS: GENEVA--For an outrageous textual proposal that would undermine protections against tobacco industry interference in public health policy in the FCTC, the US has earned today's Marlboro Man Award. The award, bestowed by the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), exposes and challenges countries for espousing treaty positions that benefit the tobacco industry at the expense of public health. The US has attempted to render meaningless a general obligation (Article 5.3) intended to protect tobacco control policies from the tobacco industry by prohibiting only "illegal" influence. "In order for the FCTC to reverse the global tobacco epidemic, it must include provisions to prohibit tobacco industry interference in policy-making. By proposing to include the word 'illegal' in Article 5.3, the US is once again demonstrating its willingness to prioritize Philip Morris's interests over public health," says Kathryn Mulvey of Infact (US), a NATT member. Today's Marlboro Man award comes as the US is being roundly criticized for blocking a deal to allow cheap medicines for developing countries in World Trade Organization (WTO) talks currently taking place in Geneva. The Guardian reported yesterday that delegates at the WTO expressed frustration after the US rejected a deal that would have loosened global patent rules to enable poor countries to import cheap copies of desperately needed drugs. The Bush administration's close ties to the pharmaceutical industry were blamed for the failure of the talks. According to NATT members, these reports from WTO negotiations provide another clear example of the US's willingness to protect the interests of US-based corporations at the expense of public health worldwide. As FCTC talks enter their final stages, the US seems to be using its economic clout to pressure countries into weakening their positions. The US is responsible for close to one-fourth of country contributions to WHO. "With the health and lives of future generations at stake, the US is throwing its weight around in aggressive attempts to weaken the FCTC, including using its role as a donor to international institutions to get its way in these talks. We are urging developing countries and their allies pushing for a strong FCTC to stand firm in the face of fierce pressure," says Bejon Misra of ConsumerVOICE (India), a NATT member. The winner of the Marlboro Man Award will be announced regularly by NATT. To date at INB6, the award has gone to Ambassador Luiz Felipe de Seixas Corrêa, the Chair of FCTC negotiations, and Cuba. The award is named after Philip Morris's notorious advertising icon because of the Marlboro Mans central role in spreading tobacco addiction globally. The image was designed by its creator as "the right image to capture the youth market's fancy&a perfect symbol of indepedence and individualistic rebellion." Philip Morris has ridden to the top of the industry on the strength of the Marlboro Man advertising and promotional campaign, which has made Marlboro the worlds leading cigarette brand. ### The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) includes 75 NGOs from more than 50 countries working for a strong, enforceable Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. NATT members at INB6 include: Center for Alternative Development Initiatives (Philippines), Consumers Association of Malawi, ConsumerVOICE (India), Environmental Rights Action (Nigeria), Infact (US), National Council Against Smoking (South Africa), Sindicato Medico del Uruguay, and Zambian Consumers Asscociation.
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