India
says it is committed to global tobacco-control treaty
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[November 01, 2016]
By Aditya Kalra
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India reaffirmed on
Tuesday its commitment to a World Health Organization (WHO)
tobacco-control treaty, despite lobbying from its $11 billion industry
that opposes some measures in the treaty that will be discussed at a
conference next week.
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Delegates from about 180 countries will attend the Nov. 7-12
conference near New Delhi on the only global anti-tobacco treaty,
called the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The treaty aims to deter tobacco use that kills about 6 million
people a year, including about a million in India.
Reuters reported last week that tobacco industry groups were
lobbying the government with letters and signature campaigns to
safeguard the interest of farmers and to ensure that no
"unreasonable" proposals are adopted at the conference.
The Tobacco Institute of India (TII), the cigarette industry body,
said in Sept. 28 letter to the government that "there is no
obligation on any signatory to the FCTC" to comply with its
provisions.
The government response to those letters has not been made public
but on Tuesday, the health ministry published half-page notices in
several newspapers to say India would apply the treaty's provisions.
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"India reiterates its commitment to the full implementation of WHO
FCTC," the ministry said in the notice, that included a picture of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The government said in the notice that tobacco "drains the economy"
of nearly $16 billion a year.
The TII, which represents cigarette makers including ITC, part-owned
by British American Tobacco, and Philip Morris International's local
partner, Godfrey Phillips, declined to comment about the government
notice.
Last week, tobacco farmers protested outside the health ministry and
the WHO regional office in New Delhi asking the government to
boycott the conference.
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More than 100,000 farmers also sent the government a petition
seeking protection from FCTC rules.
Tobacco groups want India to include farmers in its official
delegation. A health ministry official said last week the government
would not agree to their requests.
The tobacco industry has been at odds with the federal government
this year over a rule requiring makers to print bigger health
warnings on packages.
The WHO FCTC conference decisions, designed for implementation at
national level by signatories, have a direct bearing on the nearly
$800 billion global tobacco industry.
Topics for debate at the conference include alternative livelihoods
for tobacco farmers and e-cigarette regulation.
(Editing by Tom Lasseter, Robert Birsel)
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