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Autumn 2008 | Vol 12 No 1

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Sheila Lacroix

Tobacco control: A global perspective

The Canadian Centre for Tobacco Control

www.cctc.ca
Select “Frameworks and Strategies” from the main menu, then “International.” This directs you two key resources – the World Health Organization Framework and the World Bank report, Economics of Tobacco Control. Refer to chapters 4 and 5 of the latter. Chapter 4 covers demand reduction strategies such as tax increases and non-price measures, including smoking restrictions and advertising bans. Chapter 5 covers supply reduction, offering strategies such as trade restrictions and smuggling deterrents.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

www.who.int/fctc
Spearheaded by the WHO, this treaty is based on the premise that we all have a right to the highest standard of health in the current climate of the global tobacco epidemic. The aim is to protect health through demand and supply reduction provisions, recognizing the complexity and challenges of cross border effects. The treaty has been signed by 168 countries including Canada, which in signing, agree to show political commitment to embracing the provisions. The document can be downloaded from the main page of the site – see the Report icon. There is also a link to the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, which organizes World No Tobacco Day each May.

United States

www.ash.org
For a state-by-state summary of smoke-free legislation, check out the Action on Smoking and Health web site. This is a challenging site to navigate, so it is best to go directly to the page at http://ash.org/smokingbans.html, you can link to a list of all U.S. cities that have smoke-free laws for workplaces, restaurants and freestanding bars. ASH is also a good resource to find “News You Should Know” (see the ASH main page).