Tobacco Documents Online

, , . By Ani King-Underwood ~ '--co indus>zy is putting its finan- ~~ ' 1+d convincing delegates that TWO QUESTIONS surround the propose •c WHO claims. In the resolution on tobacco or health, due to be d' the Latin Ame- cussed on Tuesday at the 39th WHA: is 1y -~dustry says s: ig enough and are enough funds availr (r '~~ '°s'Uaze to ensure its implementation? sents At its January meeting, the WHO Executive ' drafted the resolution which calls on Member S adopt a "public health approach and take actior :d ONC O combat the tobacco pandemic". It urges Mem' which have not yet done so to implement srr ~g ke ge~er j t t I i ~ T a ~ sira cg es ro qL ,, However in plenary discussions last week, sa.. 1-~ aCtp aye O (® o h~ delegates have brought up the issue and suggested action which goes considerable further than the recommenda- tions contained in the resolution. • Ireland's Minister for Health, Barry Desmond, said that "international cooperation" was necessary to control tobacco advertising and sponsorship, which he described as the industry's ' major instruments of sales promotion". He said that effective action would require "the devel- opment of an interrnational code for tobacco advertising and sponsorship on television, radio and in the printed media." See Also: Editorial, p. 2 & Selling U1-Heaith, pp. 8-' Dismissing the tobacco industry's claim that restric- tions on promotion might interfere with "freedom of choice", Desmond asked, "what freedom to choose has the child in the womb of the smoking mother? None. Yet that child may be disabled for life. What freedom has the non-smoker surrounded by smokers in the home or the workplace to pre° ;nt the damage arising from passive smoking? None. Weiat conscious choice has the child or the teenager, uninfc med and immature, lured into smok- ing by the blandishments of the tobacco companies? None." O' ~ s have suggested measures such as a work' ~~ ~^o advertising. In virtually ever in- stant "-~i for strong measures, the Prc ~ I~~ -'°id Hamzeh of Jordan, as~ indication that ti ~~ 4 F. Koop, t ^ ® ~ '"t ~ ~ ~ s~.~H' o6~ K !~ ® .,~ ~ health notes.. ~ 7~ . by WHO to implen~ C, warns that "the extent ,. ~ A ~ h ~pre'~d 2`~ TF B ~ ~ abstain or - ej: g a d:~ oNs ~ eef~gAol hf~eodce.-_ bacco industry. Lwi Ua Even durmg the some attempts by the Us - ~ R.e at 8bo attention from tobacco by atta-,_ ek g~f~st 146e production of opium and marijuana. Maureen Law of Canada pointed out, tobac,, ~~Ip fa~JVre~ok product in commercial trade which is harmful ~ Direet rC when used as it is intended, and therefore deserves to .. o. singled out for strong action. 0 '`` depend on the availability of extro.. "V Ab.- V .