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Anti-Tobacco Treaty Goes Into Effect Without U.S. Ratification

HeadlineFeb 28, 2005

In other health news, a landmark global anti-tobacco treaty came into force Sunday. It is the world’s first public health treaty. The agreement calls on nations to ban or severely restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, require large health warnings on cigarette packets and bars tobacco companies from certain deceptive marketing practices. According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills nearly five million people a year and is the world’s second leading cause of death. 168 countries have signed the accord, but only 57 have so far ratified it. The United States has not ratified the treaty. The Bush administration agreed to it nine months ago but has not yet sent the treaty to the Senate for ratification. Earlier this month another major global treaty, the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, also went into effect without the support of the United States.

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