Tobacco growers seek inclusion in WHO convention

The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA), which has 24 member countries including the Philippines, on Wednesday described as “undemocratic” and “exclusionary” the ban imposed by the World Health Organization on participation by the appointed and elected officials in the Conference of Parties to be held in Delhi, India in November.

The Conference of the Parties is the governing body of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which keeps under regular review the implementation of the Convention and takes the decisions necessary to promote its effective implementation, and may also adopt protocols, annexes and amendments to the Convention.