There is an urgent need to promote alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers and to come up with legislations to fix liability of the tobacco industry for the harms caused by their products, according to a declaration adopted today at WHO's global tobacco control conference attended by representatives from around 180 countries.
The Delhi Declaration, adopted on the last day of the seventh edition of Conference of Parties (COP) on World Health Organisation FCTC, also asked the member countries to prohibit or regulate electronic nicotine delivery systems such as e-cigarettes.
The six-day conference was held at Greater Noida near here in which about 1,500 delegates along with other observers participated.
All the member countries were asked to consider developing civil liability clauses in their legislations under article 19 of the WHO-FCTC, which calls for civil liability be imposed on tobacco industry for the harms caused by their product on the people.
The delegates expressed concern at the overall health impact and the long term public health risks of electronic nicotine delivery systems and electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENDS/ENNDS), with some even expressing concern at the use of health claims as a marketing tool for such products.
Accusing the tobacco industry of trying to mislead by generating a perception that the Convention is against the farmers, a top official of the Convention Secretariat said it was against the tobacco industry and not the agriculturists.
"We have an obligation to protect vulnerable members of the tobacco production chain -- the farmers. But we do that not through encouraging more growing, as the tobacco industry does, but through the development of solid, sustainable alternatives that will promote a better future for farmers and their families," Dr Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, head of the Convention Secretariat of WHO FCTC, said at the closing ceremony.
The Delhi Declaration, which has been submitted to the Convention, noted that "there is an urgent need to promote alternative livelihoods for tobacco growers and workers, tendu leaf growers and cigar leaf growers as a response to the expected gradual reduction in global tobacco consumption and promote regional and international cooperation for reaching this objective".
It further stressed the need for effective implementation of the protocols to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products and to counter the threats from proliferation of all forms of tobacco use, including smokeless tobacco as well as new and emerging tobacco or nicotine products, which "may encourage its use and addiction".
The Convention also asked the member countries which are yet not into producing tobacco to not to start growing it.
All the parties were asked to adopt a
"whole-of-government" approach and participation with stakeholders to promote alternatives to tobacco growing and avoid tobacco industry obstruction in programmes meant for welfare and diversification of tobacco growing workers.
The countries were also asked to carry out research on use and control of tobacco and its consequences among girls and women, as well as boys and men, with special attention to vulnerable groups, in respect to social determinants of health.
