How do trade and investment policies set by the government affect tobacco control? Like many other businesses, the tobacco industry pushes for policies and financial arrangements that are most beneficial to its interests. However, the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines is clear that the government cannot fulfill its commitment to the WHO FCTC while also providing concessions to the tobacco industry. Cooperation is needed between health, finance and trade ministries to ensure that trade and investment policies relevant to tobacco control favor public health rather than business interests.
What you will learn
- Why benefits given to the tobacco industry undermine tobacco control
- What are starting points for removing incentives for and preferential treatment of the tobacco industry
- How tobacco control policies can be enforced even when a state-owned tobacco enterprise exist
Materials used in this chapter
Reports and references in the discussion
- Guidelines for the implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
- Guidelines for Observation and Exclusion from the Government Global Pension Fund – Norway
- 2014 revised guidelines for diplomatic missions – United Kingdom
- 2001 Executive Order 13193 – United States
- Asian state-owned tobacco enterprises: challenges and opportunities in implementing WHO FCTC Article 5.3
- Tobacco-Free Portfolios