European Nations Support WHO Anti-Tobacco Treaty February 21, 2002
News Summary
The Warsaw Declaration for a Tobacco-Free Europe has received the support of 47 European governments, the Associated Press reported Feb. 20.Health officials voiced their support at a meeting currently taking place in Warsaw, Poland. The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged to enact the anti-tobacco treaty in 2003.
Under the treaty, WHO's European members vowed to develop and enact a comprehensive policy including "bans on tobacco advertising, sponsorship, and promotion." In addition, the nations agreed to implement tobacco controls such as smoking bans in public places, higher tobacco taxes, and advertising bans.
"The Warsaw meeting has brought us closer to an outright ban on tobacco advertising," said Marc Danzon, the WHO regional director for Europe. "The European countries have committed themselves. We shall see what the rest of the world will say."
According to WHO, there are 1.2 million smoking-related deaths a year in the 48 countries that make up its European region. The number is expected to climb to 2 million a year by 2020.
The only European country to decline signing the treaty was Germany, citing possible conflicts with its constitution.
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