U.S. hampers global anti-tobacco treaty.

• Author: Assadourian, Erik
• Position: Environmental Intelligence

During international negotiations in November 2001 to shape a treaty restricting the promotion of tobacco, the Bush administration opposed measures that would limit advertising, restrict labeling on products, invoke mandatory taxes, and ban smoking in the workplace. The United States, home to some of the world's largest tobacco companies and the leading exporter of cigarettes, has adopted most of these life-saving restrictions at home, but continues to press for unrestricted tobacco markets outside its borders.

The annual death-toll from tobacco-related diseases has reached 4 million, and is expected to reach 10 million by 2030. The World Health Organization treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, aims to curb the swelling number of smokers, as tobacco use is one of the leading causes of preventable death. Developing countries are especially vulnerable, as they are generally less restrictive of tobacco industry lobbying and marketing, and often lack the medical means to handle the increases in sickness and mortality caused by smoking cigarettes.

Eighty percent of...