Progress, challenges and the need to set concrete goals in the global tobacco endgame / Progresos, desafíos y necesidad de establecer objetivos concretos en la fase final para poner fin al consumo tabaco en todo el mundo / Avanços, desafios e a necessidade de estabelecer metas concretas para a erradicação global do tabaco

ABSTRACT The tobacco endgame is rapidly moving from aspirational and theoretical toward a concrete and achievable goal and, in some cases, enacted policy. Endgame policies differ from traditional tobacco control measures by explicitly aiming to permanently end, rather than simply minimize, tobacco use. The purpose of this paper is to outline recent progress made in the tobacco endgame, its relationship to existing tobacco control policies, the challenges and how endgame planning can be adapted to different tobacco control contexts. Examples of implemented policies in three cities in the United States and national policies in the Netherlands and New Zealand are outlined, as well as recent endgame planning developments in Europe. Justifications for integrating endgame targets into tobacco control policy and the need to set concrete time frames are discussed, including planning for ending the sale of tobacco products. Tobacco endgame planning must consider the jurisdiction-specific tobacco control context, including the current prevalence of tobacco use, existing policies, implementation of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and public support. However, the current tobacco control context should not determine whether endgame planning should happen, but rather how and when different endgame approaches can occur. Potential challenges include legal challenges, the contested role of e-cigarettes and the tobacco industry's attempt to co-opt the rhetoric of smoke-free policies. While acknowledging the different views regarding e-cigarettes and other products, we argue for a contractionary approach to the tobacco product market. The tobacco control community should capitalize on the growing theoretical and empirical evidence, political will and public support for the tobacco endgame, and set concrete goals for finally ending the tobacco epidemic.

RESUMEN La fase final para poner fin al consumo de tabaco está rápidamente dejando de ser una aspiración y una teoría y se está convirtiendo en un objetivo concreto y alcanzable y, en algunos casos, una política promulgada. Las políticas para poner fin al consumo de tabaco difieren de las medidas tradicionales de control porque están dirigidas explícitamente a poner fin al consumo de tabaco de forma permanente, en lugar de solo minimizarlo. El propósito de este artículo es describir los progresos recientes en la fase final para poner fin al consumo de tabaco, su relación con las políticas existentes de control del tabaco, los desafíos que se enfrentan y cómo la planificación de la fase final se puede adaptar a los diferentes contextos de control del tabaco. Se describen ejemplos de políticas implementadas en tres ciudades de los Estados Unidos y de políticas nacionales en los Países Bajos y Nueva Zelanda, así como los progresos recientes en la planificación de la fase final en Europa. Se abordan las justificaciones para integrar los objetivos de fase final en las políticas de control del tabaco y la necesidad de establecer plazos concretos, incluida la planificación para poner fin a la venta de productos de tabaco. La planificación de la fase final para poner fin al consumo de tabaco debe considerar el contexto de control del tabaco específico según la jurisdicción, así como la prevalencia actual del consumo, las políticas existentes, la aplicación del Convenio Marco de la Organización Mundial de la Salud para el Control del Tabaco y el apoyo público. Sin embargo, el contexto actual no debe determinar si se debe realizar la planificación de la fase final, sino más bien cómo y cuándo pueden desarrollarse los diferentes planteamientos de la fase. Entre los posibles desafíos se encuentran los legales, el controvertido papel de los cigarrillos electrónicos y el intento de la industria tabacalera de incorporarse a la retórica de las políticas libres de humo. Si bien reconocemos las diferentes opiniones con respecto a los cigarrillos electrónicos y otros productos, abogamos por un enfoque restrictivo con respecto al mercado de productos de tabaco. La comunidad que trabaja por el control del tabaco debe capitalizar la creciente evidencia teórica y empírica, la voluntad política y el apoyo público para lograr la fase final para poner fin al consumo de tabaco, y establecer objetivos concretos para acabar finalmente con la epidemia de tabaquismo.

RESUMO A erradicação do tabaco está passando rapidamente de uma aspiração teórica para um objetivo concreto e alcançável e, em alguns casos, está se tornando política em vigor. As políticas de erradicação diferem das medidas tradicionais de controle do tabagismo pois visam explicitamente ao fim permanente do consumo de tabaco, ao invés de simplesmente minimizá-lo. O objetivo deste artigo é delinear os avanços recentes rumo à erradicação do tabaco, sua relação com as políticas existentes de controle do tabaco, os desafios e como o planejamento da erradicação pode ser adaptado aos diferentes contextos de controle do tabaco. São apresentados exemplos de políticas implementadas em três cidades nos Estados Unidos e políticas nacionais na Holanda e Nova Zelândia, assim como desdobramentos recentes do planejamento da erradicação na Europa. São discutidas justificativas para integrar metas de erradicação nas políticas de controle do tabaco e a necessidade de estabelecer prazos concretos, incluindo o planejamento para encerrar a venda de produtos de tabaco. O planejamento da erradicação do tabaco deve considerar o contexto do controle do tabaco específico a cada jurisdição, incluindo a prevalência atual do consumo de tabaco, as políticas existentes, a implementação da Convenção-Quadro para o Controle do Tabaco da Organização Mundial da Saúde e o apoio do público. Porém, o contexto atual de controle do tabaco não deve determinar se o planejamento da erradicação deve acontecer, mas sim, como e quando diferentes abordagens à erradicação podem ocorrer. Os desafios potenciais incluem recursos judiciais, o papel polêmico dos cigarros eletrônicos e a tentativa da indústria do tabaco de cooptar a retórica das políticas antitabagistas. Embora reconhecendo os diferentes pontos de vista em relação aos cigarros eletrônicos e outros produtos, defendemos uma abordagem contracionista ao mercado de produtos de tabaco. A comunidade de controle do tabaco deve aproveitar as crescentes evidências teóricas e empíricas, a vontade política e o apoio do público à erradicação do tabaco para estabelecer metas concretas e, finalmente, pôr fim à epidemia de tabagismo.

Smokeless tobacco control: Litigation & judicial measures from Southeast Asia

Recourse to litigation and positive judicial interventions is one of the most effective tools to meet public health objectives. The present review envisions compiling litigation and judicial measures in Southeast Asia Region (SEAR) while assessing their role in advancing smokeless tobacco (SLT) control, and equally highlighting, how tobacco industry has used litigation to undermine tobacco control efforts in the Region. The litigation, especially from the SEAR, up to 2017, that have facilitated SLT control or have been used by the tobacco industry to challenge an SLT control policy decision were reviewed. Most of the litigation related to SLT control from the Region are on pictorial health warnings. Bhutan has imposed a complete prohibition on sale, manufacture and import of all kinds of tobacco products and the litigation there relates to the prosecution of offenders for violating the ban. Judiciary in the Region is well informed about the ill-effects of tobacco use and remains positive to tobacco control initiatives in the interest of public health. In India, several SLT-specific litigation helped in better regulation of SLT products in the country. Litigation has compelled governments for effective enforcement of the domestic tobacco control laws and the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Parties to the WHO FCTC must now use Treaty Article 19 to strengthen their legal procedures and make the tobacco industry liable, for both criminal and civil wrongs.

Costa Rica's implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Overcoming decades of industry dominance / La implementación del Convenio Marco para el Control del Tabaco en Costa Rica, fin a décadas de dominio de la industria

Objective. To analyze the passage of Costa Rica's 2012 tobacco control law. Materials and methods. Review of legislation, newspaper articles, and key informant interviews. Results. Tobacco control advocates, in close collaboration with international health groups, recruited national, regional and international experts to testify in the Legislative Assembly, implemented grassroots advocacy campaigns, and generated media coverage to enact strong legislation in March 2012 consistent with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, despite tobacco industry lobbying efforts that for decades blocked effective tobacco control legislation. Conclusion. Costa Rica's experience illustrates how with resources, good strategic planning, aggressive tactics and perseverance tobacco control advocates can overcome tobacco industry opposition in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Branch. This determined approach has positioned Costa Rica to become a regional leader in tobacco control.

Objetivo. Analizar la adopción de la ley de control del tabaco de 2012 en Costa Rica. Material y métodos. Revisión de la legislación, artículos de periódicos y entrevistas con informantes clave. Resultados. Los defensores del control del tabaco, en estrecha colaboración con grupos internacionales de salud pública y expertos nacionales, regionales e internacionales, reclutados para testificar en la Asamblea Legislativa, implementaron campañas de comunicación e incidencia política que resultaron en la aprobación en marzo de 2012 de una legislación fuerte y en consonancia con el Convenio Marco para el Control del Tabaco de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Todo esto a pesar de los esfuerzos de la industria tabacalera que, por décadas, había logrado bloquear la aprobación de una legislación eficaz de control del tabaco en Costa Rica. Conclusión. La experiencia de Costa Rica ilustra cómo con recursos, una buena planificación estratégica, tácticas agresivas y perseverancia, los defensores del control del tabaco pudieron superar la oposición de la industria tabacalera en la Asamblea Legislativa y el Poder Ejecutivo. La adopción de una ley efectiva de control de tabaco ha posicionado a Costa Rica como un líder regional en el control de tabaco.

Tobacco industry success in Costa Rica: the importance of FCTC article 5.3 / El éxito de la industria tabacalera en Costa Rica: la importancia del artículo 5.3 del CMCT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze how the tobacco industry influenced tobacco control policymaking in Costa Rica. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Review of tobacco industry documents, tobacco control legislation, newspaper articles, and interviewing of key informants. RESULTS: During the mid-to-late 1980s, Health Ministry issued several advanced (for their time) smoking restriction decrees causing British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) to strengthen their political presence there, resulting in passage of a weak 1995 law, which, as of August 2011, remained in effect. Since 1995 the industry has used Costa Rica as a pilot site for Latin American programs and has dominated policymaking by influencing the Health Ministry, including direct private negotiations with the tobacco industry which violate Article 5.3's implementing guidelines of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). CONCLUSIONS: The Costa Rica experience demonstrates the importance of vigorous implementation of FCTC Article 5.3 which insulates public health policymaking from industry interference.

OBJETIVO: Analizar cómo la industria tabacalera influyó en la formulación de las políticas de control del tabaco en Costa Rica. MATERIALS Y MÉTODOS: Revisión de documentos de la industria tabacalera, de la legislación costarricense de control del tabaco y de periódicos y entrevistas con informantes clave. RESULTADOS: Durante los años ochenta, el Ministerio de Salud aprobó varios decretos para restringir el consumo de tabaco, lo que causó que British American Tobacco y Philip Morris International fortalecieran su presencia política, cuyo resultado fue la promulgación de una ley débil en 1995 todavía vigente. Desde 1995 la industria tabacalera ha utilizado a Costa Rica como piloto para los programas latinoamericanos y ha dominado la formulación de políticas influenciando al Ministerio de Salud, incluyendo negociaciones privadas con la industria tabacalera en violación de las directrices del Artículo 5.3 del Convenio Marco para el Control de Tabaco (CMCT) de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. CONCLUSIÓN: La experiencia de Costa Rica demuestra la gran importancia que tiene la implementación del Artículo 5.3 del CMCT para proteger las políticas de la salud pública de la interferencia de la industria tabacalera.

Influenza pandemic preparedness and response: A review of legal frameworks in India.

Background: The potential of pandemics to cause global destabilization calls for robust pandemic preparedness plans with supportive health legislation. Few international studies have investigated their national legal preparedness in case of a pandemic. This study reviews India's legal preparedness in the face of an epidemic. Materials and Methods: This study reviewed and analyzed seminal publications pertinent to pandemic preparedness and relevant legal frameworks in India. The analyses are presented in matrix formats and reviewed by national experts. Results: Current legal frameworks are largely 'policing' in nature. These provisions seem to be adequate to deal with small scale emergencies but do not appear to be sufficient for large scale health crises during pandemics. Conclusion: India needs a critical mass of public health legislations to make impact and not police acts to control epidemics. This study aims to assist policy makers to create comprehensive pandemic preparedness plans, translating preparedness 'on paper' to 'in practice'