APPENDIX 30
Supplementary memorandum by the Department
of Health
A NOTE ON THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S
FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL (TB 1C)
Dr Gro Harlem Bruntland, Director General of
WHO has made tobacco control one of her top priorities. "Smoking
Kills" welcomed the priority she has given to this subject
and warmly welcomed WHO's proposed Convention on tobacco control,
an international treaty to combat tobacco use along the lines
of recent global environmental treaties. The Convention is likely
to be a statement of broad principles, and will be supplemented
by a number of detailed protocols, which will contain more detailed
policy commitments. Possible subjects of protocols include combating
tobacco advertising and sponsorship, testing and regulation of
tobacco products, agricultural diversification, pricing policies,
labelling and cessation.
The World Health Assembly in May 1999 officially
agreed that WHO should establish an inter-governmental negotiating
body to draft and negotiate a framework. A meeting at official
level took place in October 1999; a further official level meeting
will take place in late March 2000. Negotiations at Member State
level are planned to commence in May 2000. WHO intend to agree
a Convention by the World Health Assembly in May 2003.
17 March 2000
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