Addressing Tobacco in Developing Countries August 8, 2000
News Summary
Health experts from throughout the world are meeting in the U.S. to address the tobacco industry's marketing efforts in developing countries, Reuters reported Aug. 5."We're bringing the world's tobacco-control community together in one place to see how can we stem this tide of export, promotion and production by the tobacco industry," said Dr. Thomas Houston of the American Medical Association (AMA). He serves as co-chairman of the week-long 11th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Chicago, Ill.
The tobacco industry views developing countries as an untapped market, which causes concern among health officials. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 70 percent of deaths caused by smoking-related illnesses will take place in the developing world, mainly because people in those countries may be unaware of the dangers posed by smoking. "It will be a huge tragedy for developing countries, and overwhelm their health-care systems," Houston said.
WHO officials noted that the tobacco industry is dealing with legal setbacks in the U.S. by marketing their products worldwide. For instance, cigarette factories have recently been built in Russia, a move publicized as an economic benefit rather than a health risk.
In addition, the tobacco industry is working towards dissuading developing countries from levying taxes on cigarettes or enacting western-style laws that ban smoking in office buildings and other public places.
"Most people in the developing world believe cancer is a communicable disease," Houston said. "There's terrible misinformation about cancer in general and tobacco specifically. The warnings are nebulous and not particularly clear."
The conference is expected to address the scientific basis for nicotine addiction, the lessons learned from anti-smoking campaigns, and analyses of tobacco industry tactics.
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