APPENDIX 'A'
WHO INTERAGENCY MEETING
GENEVA, FEBRUARY 1981
Key Points
1. Eight international agencies have undertaken to
support WHO's anti-smoking
programme.
2. Funds for anti-smoking programmes have been
prnmisea by a number of
Governments.
3. An international code on the marketing and
advertising of tobacco products
is likely to be considered in 1981.
4. WHO is considering a recommendation on the
standardisation of tar and
nicotine content for brands imported into
developing countries.
1. WHO called the meeting so as to encourage
multi-agency commitment to
its anti-tobacco campaign.
2. Those attendiniz, in addition to WHO, were:
FAO
International Labour Organisation (ILO)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
UNCTAD
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
UNESCO
UNICEF
UNIDO (United Nations International Development
Organisation)
Special advisers attended from Sweden and the USA.
1
3. Funds have been promised from various
Governments, particularly from
Sweden (the Swedish International Development
Agency). the USA, Saudi
Arabia and Australia to help WHO speed up its
smoking control programmes.
i
The smoking control programme aims to:
- encourage anti-smoking legislation.
- encourage anti-smoking as a means of disease
prevention (WHO can refuse
help in control of cardiovascular diseases and
cancer if a country
has not introduced smoking control measures.)
- provide technical and financial help to
Governments wishing to launch C=>
anti-smoking programme. %10
cc
- facilitate the organisation of workshops,
seminars and conferences.
- provide funds for studies and research.
- promote WHO an a consultant to Governments on
smoking control.
- enable WHO to collect and disseminate
information on smoking issues.
BATCo document for Province of BritiSh Columbia 20
April 1999


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5. WHO is askina each UN agency to produce a plan
of action aimed at promoting
smoking control. The aim is to organize a
worldwide attack on smoking
at every conceivable level.
6. The attack coes beyond the health aspects.
Despite certain reservations,
all the agencies present at the conference have
accepted that they will
play a more active role in anti-smoking.
7. A crucial new development is that this more
active agency role will be
played whether or not Governments specifically
request assistance.
B. Responsibility for areas of action:
- psychological, social, education: WHO, UNESCO.
UNICEF.
-availability of tobacco: FAO
-manufacture of cigarettes: UNIDO
-trade and marketing of cigarettes: UNCTAD, ITC.
-use of cigarettes at work: ILO.
-availability of funding to grow tobacco and
manufacture tobacco products:
World Bank and UNDP.
9. It has been taken for granted that smoking
harms health ahd should therefore
be controlled worldwide. For WHO and its sister
agencies, the "controversy"
argument does not exist.
10. Several agencies appear to be accepting the
promptings of some anti-smoking
groups that smoking should be considered a drug
addition and controlled
through stringent international treaties.
11. The FAO believes it cannot independently
recommend to Governments that
they should move away from tobacco growing. FAO
says it can act only
in response to requests for advice made after a
Government has decided
to move out of tobacco. FAO aims to seek a
resolution from member Governmentrz
on tobacco and smoking control. It could then
actively create anti-tobacco
programmes. This appears to represent a change of
attitude on the part
of FAO. However. there are counter-indications
that WHO is currently
unwilling to take action that could harm tobacco
farmers and the economies
of a number of developing countries.
12. An international code on the marketing and
advertising of tobacco products
is likely to be given serious thought if
Governments support the idea
at the WHO Assembly in May 1981.
13. WHO is considering a recommendation on the
standardization of tar and
nicotine content of products imported into
developing countries.
C:)
14. UNCTAD is pressing for guidelines to be drawn
up so that Governments I'D
will force international companies to be more open
in their marketing co
practices in developing countries.
4 _11b
BATCo document for Province of l3ritiSh Columbia
20 April 1999