Tobacco Documents Online

n F, qa~)' WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANT$ EB77/22 Add.2 11 January 1986 EXECUTIVE BOARD Seventy-seventh Session Agenda item 15 1' TOBACCO OR HEALTH In accordance with the request of the Programme Committee of the Executive Board (see document EB77/22, paragraph 8), this addendum contains the text of a draft resolution prepared by the Director-General on this item, together with a brief report on the financial implications. Draft resolution The following draft resolution on "Tobacco or health" has been prepared by the Director-General in accordance with the request of the Programme Committee of the Executive Board: The Executive Board, Having considered the report by the Director-General on tobacco or health;l Believing that the Organization must reiterate its clear and firm policy on tobacco versus health; RECOMMENDS that the Thirty-ninth World Health Assembly adopt the following resolution: The Thirty-ninth World Health Assembly, Recalling resolutions WB.A31.56 and WHA33.35 on the health hazards of tobacco and the WHO action programme against tobacco use; Deeply concerned by the current pandemic of smoking and other forms of tobacco use, which results in the loss of life of at least one million human beings every year and in illness and suffering for many.more; Believing that the battle between health and tobacco must and can be won for the sake of human health; J} Encouraged by the existence of total bans, restrictions or limitations on tobacco ailvertising in several countries; 1. AFFIRMS: (1) that tobacco smoking and the use of tobacco in all its forms is incompatible with the attainment of health for all by the year 2000 --tla~. . h,~{ r ho~l f-h~ --^--r 1 Document EB77/22 Add.l.

EB77/22 Add.2 page 2 (2) that the presence of carcinogens and other toxic substances in tobacco smoke and other tobacco products is a known fact; and that the [direct~ causal link between tobacco and a range of fatal and disabling diseases has been scientifically proven; (3) that pahsive, enforced or involuntary smoking violates the right to health of non-smokers, who must be protected against this noxious form of environmental pollution; 2. CALLS for a global public health approach and action now to combat the tobacco pandemic; •.{7-.e.. a-. - CI/ . 3. DEPLORES direct and indirect practices~which ~r*_~;%sto promote the use of tobacco, as this product is addictive and aangerous even when used as promoted; 4. URGES those Member States which have not yet done so to implement smoking control strategies; these, as a minimum, should contain the following: (1) measures to ensure that non-smokers receive effective protection, to which they are entitled, from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke, in enclosed public places, resturants, transport, and places of work and entertainment; (2) measures to promote abstention from the use of tobacco so as to protect children and young people from becoming addicted; (3) measures to ensure that a good example is set in all health-related premises and by all health personnel; (4) measures leading to the progressive elimination of those socioeconomic, behavioural, and other incentives which maintain and promote the use of tobacco; .,~ /w oC.,c /~ h a c L C. I r (5) prominent health waYning~'on cigarette packets, and containers of all ~~~-~'C types of tobacco products; (6) the establishment of programmes of education and public information on tobacco and health issues, including smoking cessation programmes, with active involvement of the health professions and the media; (7) monitoring of trends in smoking and other forms of tobacco use, tobacco related diseases, and effectiveness of national smoking control action; (8) the promotion of viable economic alternatives to tobacco production eR4 trade p__,,___cL (9) the establishment of a national focal point to stimulate; support, and coordinate all the above activites; 5. APPEALS to other organizations of the United Nations system: (1) to support WHO in all ways possible within their fields of competence; N r-n 0 t-A (2) to show solidarity with WHO's efforts to stem the spread of t." tobacco-induced diseases by protecting the health of non-smokers on their ~Q premises, as this action would have a major exemplar role; v W (3) to help Member States in identifying and implementing economic alternatives to tobacco cultivation, production and trade; 6. REQUESTS the Director-General: .R (1) to strengthen the present programme on smoking and health without waiting for its official introduction in the Eighth General Programme of Work, as a

EB77/22 Add.2 page 3 visible and resolute attitude by WHO would provide Member States with encouragement and support, which are necessary prerequisites to abating the smoking pandemic before the year 2000; (2) to mobilize support for the present programme on smoking and health in terms of funds and manpower which would ensure adequate programme continuity on a long-term basis; (3) to coordinate activities in support of WHO's action on smoking and health with other organizations of the United Nations system at the highest executive level; (4) to continue and strengthen collaboration with nongovernmental organizations as appropriate; (5) to ensure that WHO plays an effective global advocacy role in tobacco and health issues and that, in common with other health institutions, it plays an exemplar role in non-smoking practices; (6) to provide support to national smoking control efforts; (7) to report on progress to the Executive Board at its eighty-first session and to the Forty-first World Health Assembly. Financial implications The Programme Committee further requested the Director-General to provide the Board with information on the financial implications of the resolution. These are as follows: (a) Present situation During the 1984-1985 biennium, activities have been carried out with financial support from regular budget funds amounting to about US$ 150 000 to cover basic staff and operational expenses (in the amount of US$ 33 000). In addition, funds from the Director-General's Development Programme in the amount of US$ 134 000 and extrabudgetary funds amounting to US$ 360 000 were also available. For the 1986-1987 biennium, provisions are about US$ 200 000 from regular budget funds, including staff and operational expenses (US$ 33 600), plus funds from the Director-General's Development Programme in the amount of US$ 200 000 and extrabudgetary funds in the amount of US$ 380 000, the latter to be used for a study on health and social costs of tobacco consumption. Other extrabudgetary funds may be forthcoming. (b) Future requirements To ensure adequate programme continuity on a medium- to long-term basis and to carry out the additional activities implied in the draft resolution, some US$ 20.0 000 from the regular budget is needed biennially to cover basic staff and operational requirements as in previous bienniums. ~ , In addition, about US$ 500 000 biennially from extrabudgetary sources would be needed, since the Director-General's Development Programme should not be used to fund any individual programme on a continuing basis. The extent of activity implementation will therefore depend on the availability of extrabudgetary funds. 0 N C37 0 ~ ~-+ O ~ V W tn