By: Laurent Huber, Executive Director of ASH I have now spent over two decades working on UN treaties and international processes with the aim of ending the negative health, social and economic consequences of tobacco products, and I am often asked: why? Why don’t you just concentrate at the local
Media Contact: Megan Manning (202) 390 – 9513 Tobacco Harms Health and the Environment: Urgent Action Needed at the UN World No Tobacco Day is May 31, falling during the second round of negotiations for the UN Plastic Pollution Treaty in Paris, France from May 29 – June 2, 2023
June 2022 – ASH staff had the opportunity to participate in the United Nations Human Rights Council 50th session, in Geneva, Switzerland. The Human Rights Council is an “inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for
ASH’s work is based on the principle that the behavior of the tobacco industry – producing, marketing, and selling addictive products that kill when use as intended – violates human rights, such as the right to health, that have been recognized at the highest level through international, regional, and national legal
The marketing and sale of tobacco products violate the right to health and life of all people globally The Right to Health The right to health was first internationally articulated in the 1946 World Health Organization (WHO) Constitution. The WHO preamble declares that “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard
In advance of the 44th session of the United Nations Human Right’s Council (HRC) this June, ASH and several partners submitted a formal statement addressing tobacco in the global human rights agenda. Read our joint submission here.
ASH staff recently spent time in Geneva, Switzerland to attend the 41st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The UN Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. Several of those
Secretary General António Guterres 19 July 2019 United Nations, S-233 New York, NY 10027 Dear Secretary General Guterres, RE: The role of the tobacco industry in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development We are writing to you regarding a note on the role of the tobacco industry in the
There are numerous other issues that provide legal or political precedent that can be applied to tobacco and human rights. Environment Environmental Issues that are Indirectly Relevant to Tobacco Climate Litigation against Companies: An Overview of Legal Arguments 2018- The Business and Human Rights Resource Center tracked 14 climate lawsuits
The Human Rights Council (HRC) is a United Nations (UN) body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. While there have been a limited number of resolutions that are directly relevant to tobacco control, there are many others that could support a human rights based
This global mechanisms section encompasses official documents including resolutions, statements, letters, and more that pertain to tobacco control and human rights at the international level, but do not fall under a human rights treaty body. UN Statements, Resolutions and Declarations Relevant to Tobacco Control and Human Rights UN Statements on
All countries around the world, including the United States, have committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to strengthen universal peace and eradicate poverty. The harms that tobacco products cause to society are well known. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death,
Responding to Mounting Pressure, UN Agency Forced to Address Conflict of Interest Washington, D.C.—March 14, 2017 – On Wednesday, March 15th, the International Labour Organization (ILO) will vote on whether to cut ties with Big Tobacco. The decision, which will be closely monitored by public health and human rights leaders
December 10th is recognized worldwide as Human Rights Day. It commemorates the anniversary of the day that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The UDHR and other human rights treaties, both international and regional, protect myriad rights around the world, including
The embattled tobacco industry is struggling to fight off one of its fiercest and possibly most dangerous foes to date: the World Health Organization. The Hong Kong native who has run the U.N. body for the past decade, Margaret Chan, takes evident pride in being called Big Tobacco’s public enemy
Making Priorities into our Reality This year has been one filled with milestones for the public health and tobacco control communities. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that will replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), call on governments to strengthen the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Megan Arendt Office: 202-659-4310 Email: arendtm@ash.org UN Officially Recognizes that Tobacco Makes the World Poorer Sustainable Development Goals Adopted at UN Summit NEW YORK, NY – Friday, September 25, 2015 – Today, the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a plan
The American Society of International Law ( ASIL), the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network ( ACS CAN), and ASH hosted: Tobacco and International Law: Evaluating and Enforcing the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Wednesday, September 16, 2015 The world’s first public health treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco
When ASH first began its post-2015 UN development agenda campaign in 2013, it was perceived as nearly impossible to integrate tobacco control into the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), let alone the Financing for Development (FfD) process. At this point, we are on our way to checking both items off
In the past two and half years, ASH has been working to ensure that tobacco control is included in the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals are being created to set countries’ development agendas for the next 15 years. In the expiring UN Millennium Development Goals, tobacco control
“Health must become a priority. The time is now,” said global tobacco control advocates in the Framework Convention Alliance video. They emphasize the importance of this year, 2015, and that leaders must raise their ambitions for humanity. They also encourage the general public to stand up and speak out. The
We’re almost there. This year, tobacco control was included in several key United Nations (UN) documents that will change our future. We know that mentioning tobacco control and tobacco control treaties in UN documents seems only natural, but in the last set of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), tobacco control and
Those requirements have appeared in previous fast-track bills. They sound perfectly reasonable, right? Well, consider this: Australia is a party to the TPP and already has a free trade agreement with the United States. Under Australian law, cigarettes must be sold in “plain packaging.” Health warnings have to cover at
“Tobacco use alone costs the world 1-2% of its GDP each year,” Helen Clark, administrator of the United Nations Development Program told the United Nations on July 11th. The world’s GDP in 2013 was nearly $75 trillion. One percent of the world’s GDP makes the global cost of tobacco higher
