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REPORT: CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL SAYS TOBACCO INDUSTRY IS INTERFERING WITH LANDMARK PUBLIC HEALTH TREATY U.S. Remains among Nations that Haven't Ratified For Immediate Release: Contacts: Boston, MA--Today, Corporate Accountability International, a membership organization instrumental in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), released a report entitled: Big Tobacco's Attempts to Derail the Global Tobacco Treaty: Cases from Battleground Countries. The report discusses the current status of the global tobacco treaty and the tobacco industry's recent attempts to undermine the treaty process. The report provides a first look at the positive impacts of the treaty and the new ways Big Tobacco is trying to derail the treaty in the eleventh hour. Public officials and health advocates around the world are urging their governments to meet the November 8th deadline for countries to ratify in order to vote at the first Conference of the Parties--where governments will make important decisions about the enforcement and implementation of the treaty. The report names corporations like Philip Morris (now Altria), British American Tobacco (BAT), and Japan Tobacco International (JTI) among the corporations seeking to undermine the treaty. The report reveals how tobacco corporations attempt to craft a "socially responsible" image while continuing efforts to subvert health policies. Their spokespeople state publicly that they support the treaty, while encouraging policymakers to draft legislation that would fail to fulfill the treaty's central obligations--notably the ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. The report also points out that in some countries that have not yet ratified the treaty, Big Tobacco is aggressively expanding operations and increasing political interference. As they carve out their markets in Nigeria and Guatemala, they also seek to derail treaty ratification. Thailand is noted as one of the treaty's success stories based on research from the WHO that has found that Thailand's tobacco advertising ban reduced rates of addiction. The treaty has bolstered Thailand's efforts to fine-tune its own legislation and clamp down on Big Tobacco's attempts to circumvent the ad ban. Six months ago the WHO FCTC became international law. The treaty bans tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and protects health policy from tobacco industry interference. This landmark treaty is proving to be one of the most quickly embraced international agreements in the history of the United Nations. As of today, 86 countries have ratified. As soon as China completes its ratification, 65% of the world's population will live in countries that have ratified the treaty. The Bush Administration signed the treaty with great fanfare in 2004, but has not yet submitted it to the US Senate for ratification. Over 100 countries are expected to ratify before the November deadline to participate in the treaty's first enforcement meeting. Click here to download Big Tobacco's Attempts to Derail the Global Tobacco Treaty: Cases from Battleground Countries. # # #Corporate Accountability International, formerly Infact, is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. For over 25 years, we've forced corporations--like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria--to stop abusive actions. Corporate Accountability International, an NGO in Official Relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), played a key role in development of the global tobacco treaty--formally known as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) includes more than 100 NGOs from over 50 countries working for a strong, enforceable global tobacco treaty. For more information visit www.stopcorporateabuse.org.
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