The European tobacco growers’ association UNITAB criticised World Health Organisation efforts to regulate tobacco, saying WHO has overstepped the boundaries of its expertise in health issues into agriculture, where it has “no understanding”.

In a statement distributed on PR Newswire, UNITAB said proposals put forward by a working group of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are “excessive and unfair”.
“(WHO’s) objective, which is thoroughly irresponsible, is to jeopardise still further the position of the tobacco growers whose social and economic situation has already been weakened by the evolution of the CAP (the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union),” the statement says. Singled out for criticism were proposals to ban contracts between growers and buyers that make farmers “too secure,” and “arbitrary” limitation of planting and cultivation periods.
UNITAB also alleged the working group intends to put an end to quality improvement policies that give European tobacco growers an edge over competitors. Criticism was levelled at what UNITAB said was a failure to promote alternative uses for tobacco.
Working group recommendations are formulated for consideration at FCTC plenary sessions. The next FCTC Conference of the Parties will be held this November in Seoul, Korea. UNITAB is based in France and represents the interests of about 85,000 European tobacco growers. (pi)