Posted on: Tuesday, May 20, 2003

EDITORIAL
No isolationism on anti-tobacco treaty

The U.S. government has thankfully seen the wisdom of putting its support behind an international treaty to combat worldwide tobacco use. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has announced that he's "not going to make any changes" to the accord.

That's quite a change from the administration's earlier position that nations should reserve the right to opt out of individual clauses in the treaty that they find objectionable.

The earlier proposed U.S. changes would have greatly compromised the treaty's ability to curb the global reach of the tobacco industry. An estimated 5 million smokers die each year from tobacco-related ailments. And there's no escaping the fact that America is home to the world's biggest tobacco companies.

The anti-tobacco treaty, which is nearly four years in the making, calls for total bans or restrictions on advertising and marketing, labeling controls and a crackdown on smuggling and secondhand smoke. Essentially, it would make it more difficult for cigarette companies to get folks addicted to their products, particularly in poor countries.

Hopefully, the U.S. sudden change of heart signals an end to a go-it-alone approach that has sabotaged other international accords.

Just like global warming and arms control, tobacco reduction demands a multilateral approach.