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Exmo.sr. Presidente de Brasil, Lu�s In�cio Lula da Silva, Exma. Sra. Ministra Jefa de la Casa Civil, Dilma Roussef, Exmo. Sr. Ministro de Abastecimento, Pecu�ria y Agricultura, Roberto Rodrigues, Exmo. Sr. Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Celso Amorim
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Over the past several years, Brazil has been seen as a global leader in the negotiations of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Both of the successive Chairs of the International Negotiating Body were Brazilian, as was the Director of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, Dr. Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, who was appointed to this position as a result of her leadership in advancing tobacco control in Brazil.
Brazil has among the most advanced tobacco control legislation in the world. The international community admires and values Brazil�s leadership and uses Brazil as a model for many other countries to follow. Through this leadership Brazil has demonstrated its commitment to public health of its people and sustainable development within the country.
However, at this point in time we are extremely concerned with recent declarations by the Minister of Agriculture, who has said that Brazil will not ratify the WHO FCTC without a guarantee of a funding mechanism to support alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers.
We strongly disagree with Brazil�s opposition to ratifying the WHO FCTC and believe that waiting for approval of a funding mechanism for crop substitution before ratifying is a serious error.
The ratification of the WHO FCTC will not result in the elimination of tobacco growing. It will not result in the loss of jobs for tobacco farmers. Any impact of the measures in the WHO FCTC on the tobacco growing sector will be gradual and in the long term. The statements made by the representatives of some of the growers� associations regarding this subject are simply not true, and are not consistent with scientific evidence.
Prestigious international organizations such as the WHO and the World Bank have concluded, based on their comprehensive research, that tobacco trade is actually an obstacle to economic and social development. Tobacco does not contribute to the elimination of hunger, rather it exacerbates it. The benefits and the profits of tobacco do not go to the farmers, who are often very indebted. Only a few people profit from tobacco: those in the tobacco industry.
The tobacco industry has known for decades that the products they sell kill half of their regular customers. It knows that the products they sell are extremely addictive. Despite this fact, it has decided to ignore this information to continue selling its products and expanding its business. The industry has not hesitated to pay researchers, influence governments and undermine international organizations in the course of its activities, always with the objective of increasing its profits. It has extensively used front groups such as growers� associations to make its arguments. In short, the tobacco industry continues to demonstrate a complete disregard for ethical principles.
The tobacco industry is now using this strategy in Brazil, with the goal of blocking not only Brazil�s ratification, but also ratification by other countries in the region and around the world.
We would like to note that 85% of Brazil�s tobacco crop is exported. Ten out of the eleven countries to which Brazil exports its products are already Parties to the WHO FCTC. Therefore, Brazil�s ratification is unlikely to have an impact on its production or trade. However, Brazil will miss important opportunities by not being a full Party to the WHO FCTC during the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP). If Brazil does not ratify, it will not have any decision-making powers with regard to the financing mechanisms and support for tobacco growers that will be decided during the discussions at the COP next February.
In short, the ratification of the WHO FCTC by Brazil will allow:
� the reduction of hunger through reducing the high social and health costs currently incurred due to tobacco-related death and disease;
� the reduction of the social harm caused by the 200,000 lives currently lost to tobacco annually in Brazil; and
� the continued worldwide recognition of the prestige and leadership that Brazil built during the WHO FCTC negotiations.
By not ratifying, tobacco growers in Brazil will be denied the opportunity to receive technical and financial aid made available through the WHO FCTC and international organizations, and Brazil will send a message to the international community that its political commitments lie with the tobacco industry and not with the health of its people and the sustainable development of the country.
With this letter, we appeal to your sense of responsibility as political and government leaders and as human beings and urge you to ensure that Brazil ratifies the WHO FCTC as soon as possible in order to participate as a full Party in the first meeting of the COP in February.
Yours sincerely, |