Tobacco industry:a barrier to social justice

Social justice recognises the need for the ‘the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society’. According to the United Nations, social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. Social justice can also refer to the balance between individuals and society; if we assume that governments play a major role in society, then their obligation to protect individuals from third parties4 (eg, the tobacco industry) becomes one of their key responsibilities in maintaining social justice. Furthermore, the actions of the government in one country can negatively impact social justice in another

Human rights and the WHO FCTC conference of the parties

‘In the absence of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people in tobacco control worldwide would have been at the Hague, Netherlands, from 9–14 November for the 9th Conference of the Parties (COP9) of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), advocating for even stronger policies against the tobacco epidemic. The COP has been postponed to 2021, but the pandemic did not stop the global civil society from ‘virtually’ gathering to talk about the FCTC, where it is and where it is going.’http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.orgam2021School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

FCTC "Orphans" - Article 14, 19 and supply side measures

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has been successful in many ways. However, some articles have received less attention than others. Other issues, such as some supply side measures, were left out of the FCTC altogether. This presentation will focus on Article 14 (cessation), Article 19 (liability) and supply side measures. Article 14 of the FCTC requires that parties develop cessation guidelines , yet only 40% of parties have them. The presenter will discuss what is needed for cessation measures to be effective and how a human-rights based approach can help convince governments to act. Article 19 of the FCTC concerns tobacco companies’ liability for their actions. While some countries (ie. the US) have been very productive in their use of civil liability, no country has yet successfully utilized the other half of Article 19 - criminal liability. The presenter will illustrate how these arguments can be used in both criminal cases and as part of a human rights-based approach. Regarding the supply of tobacco, the FCTC only covered illicit trade, sales to and by minors and provisions to support economically viable alternatives. As we strive to move closer to our goal of zero tobacco deaths, it is time to start talking about what can be done to further restrict the supply side of tobacco by addressing the retail environment, a topic that was excluded from the FCTC. There are many options, including licensing restrictions, a state sponsored dispensary model, and Tobacco Free Generation policies. The presenter will discuss how policies could work in different jurisdictions and outline the human rights arguments available to pressure governments to act. Presenters will discuss what governments and advocates can do to finally address these “orphans” and how these topics are essential to the tobacco “endgame.