Intellectual Property Watch: WHO Head Highlights Tobacco Plain Packaging Victory At WTO; Vaping Lobbyists Hit Geneva
“World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr. Tedros) [Monday] hailed a dispute settlement decision at the neighboring World Trade Organization upholding laws requiring tobacco products to be packaged without logos or designs as a way to reduce interest in smoking. Meanwhile, lobbyists for popular alternative ‘electronic’ tobacco products such as vaping are out in force in Geneva this week…” (New, 10/1).

U.N. News: Tobacco control measures are working, but too slowly in less-developed countries: WHO
“…At an international meeting on tobacco control in Geneva, the WHO reported that that nearly two-thirds of the 181 states parties to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) have developed strategies ‘to prevent tobacco industry interference with tobacco control policies.’ As a result of the treaty, countries have increased taxes on tobacco, established smoke-free spaces, and made it obligatory for manufacturers to show graphic health warnings on their products, as well as using plain packaging…” (10/1).

VOA News: Tobacco Industry Uses Social Media to Circumvent Bans
“…Organizers say progress has been made since the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control came into force in 2005, but more needs to be done. … Head of Convention Secretariat Vera da Costa e Silva says cross-border advertising remains less regulated and difficult to enforce. She tells VOA the tobacco industry has circumvented the bans by using Instagram, Facebook, and other social media…” (Schlein, 10/1).

Xinhua News: WHO plans roadmap for strengthening global fight against tobacco use
“…The six-day COP8 will focus, among other things, on a draft of a Medium-term Strategic Framework to outline priorities for scaling up the global tobacco control agenda and strengthening implementation of the treaty over the next five years. That will include a push to extend tobacco control efforts to include a new focus on the negative impacts of tobacco production on the environment and on development…” (10/2).