By D. Arul Rajoo BANGKOK, March 10 (Bernama) -- The tobacco industry in Southeast Asia is systematically obstructing implementation of a global treaty on curbing smoking and tobacco use, a regional advocacy network warned today.
Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca) said since it took effect in 2005, implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in the region has been undermined by insidious tactics of big tobacco companies.
It said abuses by tobacco corporations have ranged from attempting to write tobacco control laws and blocking the passage of key legislations in the Philippines, Laos and Cambodia, and using so-called "corporate social responsibility" to circumvent laws and regulations in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines.
The region's governments have been vulnerable to interference through the industry's lobbying, public relations dealings and CSR activities, Seatca said in a statement.
In some cases, the industry sought to participate in the development of national and sub-national tobacco control policies while in some instances even proposing to draft the legislation for the government, the Bangkok-based Seatca said.
Seatca said its director Bungon Ritthiphakdee had told a panel discussion at the 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCToH) in Mumbai that tobacco industry interference has been the number one obstacle to the WHO FCTC implementation.
"Countries in Asean and its neighbours now see protections against this interference as the strongest factor of the treaty," he said.
Dr Mary Assunta, Seatca's Senior Policy Adviser, the tobacco industry has aggressively expanded its business in the Asean region.
"They have deliberately deterred, delayed and diluted tobacco control laws. With the WHO FCTC guidelines, advocates and public officials can finally put to a halt tobacco industry tactics and focus on implementing life-saving measures to protect their citizens," she said.
Seatca urged all parties to the convention to take strong measures to implement guidelines on Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC to block tobacco industry interference in regional health policies.
"Governments must proceed from the premise that the tobacco industry is the problem and not a stakeholder in efforts to curb tobacco use and to protect the health of the public.
"Allowing tobacco corporations to influence tobacco control policy violates both the spirit and letter of the FCTC," it added.
-- BERNAMA
Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca) said since it took effect in 2005, implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in the region has been undermined by insidious tactics of big tobacco companies.
It said abuses by tobacco corporations have ranged from attempting to write tobacco control laws and blocking the passage of key legislations in the Philippines, Laos and Cambodia, and using so-called "corporate social responsibility" to circumvent laws and regulations in Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines.
The region's governments have been vulnerable to interference through the industry's lobbying, public relations dealings and CSR activities, Seatca said in a statement.
In some cases, the industry sought to participate in the development of national and sub-national tobacco control policies while in some instances even proposing to draft the legislation for the government, the Bangkok-based Seatca said.
Seatca said its director Bungon Ritthiphakdee had told a panel discussion at the 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCToH) in Mumbai that tobacco industry interference has been the number one obstacle to the WHO FCTC implementation.
"Countries in Asean and its neighbours now see protections against this interference as the strongest factor of the treaty," he said.
Dr Mary Assunta, Seatca's Senior Policy Adviser, the tobacco industry has aggressively expanded its business in the Asean region.
"They have deliberately deterred, delayed and diluted tobacco control laws. With the WHO FCTC guidelines, advocates and public officials can finally put to a halt tobacco industry tactics and focus on implementing life-saving measures to protect their citizens," she said.
Seatca urged all parties to the convention to take strong measures to implement guidelines on Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC to block tobacco industry interference in regional health policies.
"Governments must proceed from the premise that the tobacco industry is the problem and not a stakeholder in efforts to curb tobacco use and to protect the health of the public.
"Allowing tobacco corporations to influence tobacco control policy violates both the spirit and letter of the FCTC," it added.
-- BERNAMA
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