Tobacco lobbyists were targeted by representatives of more than 160 nations who gathered this week to discuss bolstering the World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, the Christian Science Monitor reported Nov. 24.

The 2005 global treaty had already led many nations to ban public smoking, tobacco advertising, and partnerships between tobacco companies and government. A subsequent agreement reached in recent meetings in Durban, South Africa said that tobacco lobbyists must not be allowed to influence or interfere with healthcare policy.

"The anchor principle of this meeting was that there is a fundamental conflict between tobacco-industry interests and public-health interests," said Kathy Mulvey, international policy director for Corporate Accountability International. "These guidelines will help advocates and public officials begin to slam the door on tobacco-industry tactics, and focus on implementing the treaty's lifesaving measures."

With smoking decreasing in Europe and North America, Big Tobacco has begun to focus more of its marketing efforts on countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Citizens groups in developing countries with poorly funded hospitals said that strong legislation is necessary to combat the health problems linked to increased tobacco use.

"What we need to have are clear guidelines that rule out interaction between the tobacco industry and government," said Yussuf Saloojee, executive director of the South-African-based National Council Against Smoking.

Signatories to the WHO treaty have agreed to force tobacco manufacturers to put graphic images of diseases caused by smoking on their packages, ban government officials from investing in tobacco companies, and to enact new laws that ban tobacco advertising and enforce smoke-free legislation.