TOBACCO INDUSTRY BLOCKING GLOBAL TREATY ON SMOKING IN ASEAN COUNTRIES

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 Tuesday.

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