A letter to US Trade Representative Michael Froman from 32 public health organizations demands removal of tobacco products from Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement discussions to prevent use of that agreement to challenge tobacco control measures.

International trade agreements and the protection of commercial interests they contain are a venue used to challenge national tobacco control measures that the tobacco industry believes infringe on their rights or impose unjust sanctions.
“We seek your explicit commitment that the US will not propose or agree to any provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) that would undermine the domestic sovereign rights of participating countries to adopt or maintain measures to reduce tobacco use”, states the letter backed by groups including Action on Smoking and Health, Centre for Policy Analysis on Trade and Health, American Medical Association, Human Rights and Tobacco Control Network.