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US Efforts to Bully Countries into Accepting Reservations to the Framework Convention on Tobacco ControlEarn Marlboro Man Award FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACTS: GENEVA -- For blatant efforts to use its economic and political clout to bully countries into allowing reservations to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the US receives 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. Only a handful of countries are advocating that reservations be widely allowed in the world's first public health treaty. The US threatened that if reservations are not allowed it will not support the treaty, and would therefore not bring its financial resources and technical expertise into its implementation. "Based on the evidence released in Cowboy Diplomacy last week, it is certain that the US will make every effort to water down the FCTC. In the end, there will be almost no chance that the US will ratify this treaty. Countries must stand firm in the face of bullying, and not allow the FCTC to be riddled with reservations," says Jim Sharman of the Center for Alternative Development Initiatives (Philippines), a NATT member. NATT members are expressing concern that if the US approach to reservations is permitted, the FCTC will contain one loophole after another. Reservation clauses will allow countries to sign the treaty, but then opt-out of certain obligations, such as a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Most countries are arguing that opening the door to reservations will dramatically weaken the FCTC's ability to reverse the global tobacco epidemic. The winner of the Marlboro Man Award will be announced regularly by NATT. To date at INB6, the award has already gone to the US, in addition 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 Man's central role in spreading tobacco addiction globally. The image was designed by its creator as "the right image to capture the youth markets 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), and Zambian Consumers Association.
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