Jump to full article: All-Africa.com, 2003-06-27
Intro: Forty countries and the European Community (EC) have within its first week signed the new global tobacco control treaty unanimously adopted last month by all 192 Member States of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO).
"The fact that so many countries signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in its first week demonstrates how strongly it is supported and how meaningful it is to diverse populations and situations," WHO Director-General Gro Brundtland said of the treaty, which opened for signature on 16 June during a formal ceremony at the agency's headquarters
in Geneva.
The first international treaty negotiated under WHO auspices, the FCTC requires countries to restrict tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion, set new labelling and clean indoor air controls and strengthen legislation to clamp down on tobacco smuggling. Tax and price increases would also be considered.
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