|
|
| Search | Site Map |
 |
|
POLICYMAKERS AND ACTIVISTS CONFRONT PHILIP MORRIS/ALTRIA EXECUTIVES AT SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING For Immediate Release: East Hanover, NJ--For the first time, policymakers from Africa and Latin America are lining up alongside corporate accountability groups to confront Philip Morris/Altria executives at the corporation's annual shareholders' meeting today. Health advocates have catalogued various examples of the tobacco giant's interference with implementation of the global tobacco treaty, and are calling for an end to Philip Morris/Altria's abuses. Formally known as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the treaty aims to reverse the global tobacco epidemic, which is expected to claim 10 million lives a year by 2020. The treaty's provisions include a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and protection of public health policies from tobacco industry interference. One of the most rapidly embraced United Nations treaties in history, the FCTC has been ratified by 125 countries encompassing more than 75% of the world's population. "From Africa to Latin America to Asia, we are hearing of Philip Morris/Altria's attempts to interfere with the treaty at the highest levels of government," says Corporate Accountability International Executive Director Kathryn Mulvey, who is attending her thirteenth annual Philip Morris/Altria meeting. "Fortunately, in countries across the globe, courageous political leaders are standing up to Big Tobacco, booting the Marlboro Man from the media and implementing the global tobacco treaty." While the political will to confront Philip Morris/Altria's dangerous actions is strong, policymakers are outraged by the tobacco giant's ongoing interference with implementation of the treaty in countries that have ratified. South Africa and Mexico are two of many countries where Philip Morris/Altria is exploiting legislative loopholes or trying to undermine tobacco control policies. "Despite South Africa's ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, Philip Morris/Altria continues to exploit the only loophole in the current law by displaying large numbers of posters and signs for its products at points of sale, at the eye-level of children, beside displays of candy, chocolate and ice-cream," explains Advocate Patricia Lambert. "This year, we will close the legislative loophole In Mexico, where someone dies every ten minutes from tobacco-related illness, Philip Morris/Altria preempted first steps toward treaty implementation by making an agreement with the Ministry of Health. The agreement stalled tobacco control policies including an advertising ban and tobacco tax increases. "Article 5.3 of the treaty explicitly prohibits tobacco industry interference in public health policy in countries that have ratified," explains Congressman Miguel Ángel Toscano Velasco. "The agreement between Philip Morris/Altria and Mexico is in conflict with the treaty and with Mexican law." The United States is among a shrinking minority of countries not protected by the global tobacco treaty. The Bush Administration signed the treaty in 2004, but has not submitted it to the Senate to be considered for ratification. Philip Morris/Altria claims to support the global tobacco treaty, but opposes some of its central provisions--such as the advertising ban. Philip Morris/Altria's annual meeting follows a recent study that found the corporation's Marlboro cigarettes to be responsible for the deaths of 2.3 million Americans since 1955, and projects that Marlboros will claim 1.6 million U.S. lives in the next 10 years. Leading up to today's shareholders' meeting over 1,000 activists called or emailed Philip Morris/Altria to demand an end to the corporation's abuses. # # # 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 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
|
|
