By Nirmala George
NEW DELHI (AP) --A global conference on tobacco control has pledged to hold the tobacco industry legally liable for health consequences of smoking and protect public health policies from the influence of tobacco companies.
Representatives from around 180 countries participating in the World Health Organization's global tobacco control treaty negotiations on Saturday adopted a declaration in which they also vowed to prohibit or regulate the sale of e-cigarettes.
The six-day conference on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, or FCTC, concluded with participating countries agreeing to promote alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers that would ensure a better future for them.
Public health activists say smoking-related deaths are still rising worldwide, with 80 percent of them expected to occur in developing countries by 2030. The WHO says that without strong control measures, tobacco will kill about 1 billion people in the 21st century.
The more than 1,500 delegates expressed their concern about persistent attempts by the tobacco industry to infiltrate the meetings in order to influence the working and the outcomes of the conference.
The declaration cautioned governments against efforts by big tobacco companies to dilute health policies, subvert measures to restrict tobacco sales and undermine the implementation of the FCTC.
"The long hours of debate and planning has produced a strong road map for global tobacco control for the future," Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, head of the convention secretariat, told reporters.
She said the tobacco industry was "determined to undermine and distract us from our goal — to fight against the tobacco epidemic that not only damages health and kills people, but also impoverishes those living in low- to middle-income countries."
The conference declaration included measures to hold big tobacco companies liable for the health consequences of its products, recover health care costs and facilitate access to justice for victims of tobacco-related diseases.
Since they set down stiff regulations and guidelines in the landmark 2003 FCTC treaty — the first and only global treaty dealing with public health — most of the 180 signatories have ratified it and passed laws restricting tobacco advertising or sales.
Still, many governments remain entangled with powerful tobacco companies, while industry lobbyists continue attempts to stymie efforts to implement anti-smoking laws through bribery, misinformation and even suing national governments for lost profits, campaigners say.
Health activists hailed the decision on legal liability, saying it could set a precedent for holding other industries accountable for environmental damage or public health harms they could cause.
"The tobacco industry is the single largest barrier to tobacco control policies globally — and these negotiations were no exception," said John Stewart, deputy campaigns director at the Boston-based lobbying group Corporate Accountability International.
Stewart said the firm stand taken by delegates, who stood up to the tobacco industry, had enabled governments to adopt "some of the strongest measures yet to protect millions of people's lives."
Nomad signs editor Jessica Baclesse
Creative editorial house Nomad has added editor Jessica Baclesse to its roster.
Baclesse co-edited (with Peter Wiedensmith when both were at edit shop Joint) the Cannes Grand Prix-winning “You Can’t Stop Us” spot for Nike, which also won Bronze for Film Craft, an AICP Award, and an Emmy for Outstanding Commercial. Her other commercial credits include ads for Toyota, Mercedes, and Instagram’s “Get Into What You <3” campaign.
Baclesse’s body of work also includes large-scale feature films. She co-edited Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut “Creed III,” which boasted the film franchise’s largest box office opening weekend. She later edited the Sydney Freeland film “Rez Ball,” which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and is currently streaming on Netflix. Baclesse was also brought on as an additional editor for season one of the TV series “Loki” on Disney+, one of the platform’s most-watched streaming shows. She also edited the WGA Award-nominated Snapchat short-form series “Breakwater.”
“I’m thrilled to call Nomad home,” remarked Baclesse. “I want to continue editing commercials at the highest level possible. The producers and assistant editors at Nomad are all excited about helping me achieve that, and I look forward to growing with them.”
“I am super excited to have Jess aboard,” said Nomad partner/editor Conor O’Neill. “We first worked together years ago, and I have been following her career ever since. She brings a high level of talent and professionalism to whatever she does.”
Nomad’s managing director, Susye Melega, added, “I admire Jess as an editor, not only for her incredible skill set and innate talent, but she’s a wonderful person.... Read More