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The UK leads the World on tobacco control
The United Kingdom leads
the world on tobacco control policy initiatives. Using the World Bank policy
criteria, a study has shown that the UK came first out of 26 European countries
on its implementation and progress on tobacco control. The World Bank
states that there is strong evidence that successful national tobacco control
strategies have six features:
 | Higher tobacco taxes |
| Bans and restrictions on smoking in
public and work places |
| Bans on advertising and promotion |
| Better consumer information |
| Large health warning labels on packs |
| Help for smokers who want to quit |
The UK scored high in
all.
ENSP 26 Country Study
Tobacco control goes global – WHO
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Treaty
The power and global nature of tobacco
companies has left many national governments powerless in tackling tobacco
marketing within their own national boundaries. This global tobacco menace has
now unified many countries into signing the world’s first public health treaty,
the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in May 2003. One hundred and
ninety two (192) countries adopted this treaty unanimously as a legally binding
document at the 56th World Health Assembly. These countries adopted this treaty
because they wanted:
| A comprehensive global response
– They were
determined to protect public health and recognised that tobacco use and its
spread was a global epidemic. It affected the health, social, economic and
environmental aspects of every society and it needed to be addressed in the
widest possible comprehensive international response because many tobacco
companies were powerful global players |
| To reduce the public health burden –
They were seriously concerned about the increase in worldwide consumption and
production of tobacco. The burden that tobacco use places on families, the
poor, and on the health systems in developing countries, was of serious
concern to them. In their considerations, they had recognised that scientific
evidence was unequivocal in establishing that tobacco consumption and exposure
to smoke causes death, disease and disability. |
| Tobacco use to be seen as an
addiction and disease – They accepted that cigarettes and tobacco products are
highly engineered to create and maintain dependence and they had compounds
that were pharmacologically active, toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic. Most
importantly, they recognised that tobacco dependence is classified as a
disease and disorder in its own right under the WHO International Statistical
Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems |
| To protect vulnerable groups – They
were concerned about the rise of smoking in children, adolescents, girls and
women and acknowledged that prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke causes adverse
health and developmental conditions in the pregnant mother and baby |
| To ban/regulate tobacco marketing and
advertising – They were deeply concerned about tobacco marketing and the
impact of all forms of advertising, promotion and sponsorship aimed at
encouraging the use of tobacco products |
| To stop smuggling – They recognised
that they need cooperative action to eliminate all forms of illicit
trade in cigarettes and other tobacco products, including smuggling, illicit
manufacturing and counterfeiting |
| To promote evidenced-based measures –
A determination to promote measures of tobacco control based on current and
relevant scientific, technical and economic considerations. Sharing of best
practice and guidelines would improve capacity in each country |
| To engage the NGOs and other
advocates – They recognised and emphasised the contribution of nongovernmental
organisations and other members of civil society not affiliated with the
tobacco industry in tobacco control. Regional and local networks comprising
health professional bodies, women’s groups, youth federations and clubs,
environmental and consumer groups, academic and health care institutions were
vital to national and international tobacco control efforts |
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