Hello everyone, on behalf of the WHO FCTC Convention Secretariat. It’s a pleasure to speak to you all today on a subject of such importance to our work in combating the tobacco epidemic. I’m especially pleased that more than 40 Parties have shown an interest in participating.
You have a packed schedule. This includes an extensive range of sessions to explore details of the activities of the tobacco industry and its allies; gaps as well as good examples in the implementation of Article 5.3 and existing resources to progress on this topic.
This workshop will feature presentations and panel discussions, as well as interactive group work with the involvement of representatives of the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3, the Convention Secretariat, the World Health Organization, the United Nation Development Program and others.
At its Eight Session, the Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC encouraged Parties to act, noting that tobacco industry interference remains one of the greatest obstacles to the implementation of the Convention and undermines worldwide tobacco-control efforts, especially in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
This is an industry dedicated to its own economic welfare despite the clear damage it does to the health of the world’s population. An industry that kills up to half their users when they use its products as intended. That is 8 million people a year. It is a for-profit epidemic.
The relentless opposition of the tobacco industry to any sort of regulation is the main reason for Article 5.3 and its guidelines for implementation.
Parties should implement Article 5.3 measures across all relevant branches of government, including elected officials, to protect public health policy from the undue interference of the industry and of those working to further its interests. This is not a choice, it’s a legal requirement for Parties to meet their obligations under the Convention.
Sometimes, the most difficult thing is trying to explain to people from other sector how does the tobacco industry interfere.
To explain that the tobacco industry will interfere in any way that it can – and that it will take advantage of every single opportunity that presents itself.
For example, the industry will seize upon devastating human crises – be they natural disasters, war, or pandemics – to pretend that they are part of the solution, taking advantage of the urgent needs of the government.
Similarly, it develops corporate social responsibility programmes and employ legions of public relations executives to construct a friendly face to hide what is — after all — a very destructive business.
While health ministries know this, for finance and other government sectors sometimes it is not that obvious, and they need to be provided with evidence that shows that the tobacco industry takes all the profit for itself (profit that usually ends overseas) and leaves the government and citizens bearing all the costs.
So, I wish you well in your work during this webinar. It is an important effort on which much depends.
Thank you.