ISO Tobacco Standardization: ISO Tobacco Standardization: Current Challenges and Current Challenges and Prescriptions for ChangePrescriptions for Change

Mr. Bejon Misra,Mr. Bejon Misra,CEOCEOConsumer VOICE, INDIAConsumer VOICE, INDIA

Tobacco Product Regulation and Tobacco Product Regulation and its Ramifications for Implementationits Ramifications for ImplementationLunchtime Technical Briefing Lunchtime Technical Briefing

for the 1for the 1stst session of thesession of theConference of Parties to the Conference of Parties to the

WHO Framework WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Convention on Tobacco

Control (FCTC)Control (FCTC)77thth February 2006February 2006

GenevaGenevaByBy

Bejon Misra, CEOBejon Misra, CEOConsumer VOICE, INDIAConsumer VOICE, INDIAbejonmisra@consumerbejonmisra@consumer--

voice.orgvoice.orgwww.consumerwww.consumer--voice.orgvoice.org

About VOICEAbout VOICEwww.consumerwww.consumer--voice.orgvoice.org

VOICE is a registered Voluntary Consumer VOICE is a registered Voluntary Consumer Organisation based in India, member of Organisation based in India, member of Consumers International, working since 1983 to Consumers International, working since 1983 to promote, protect and educate the consumers on promote, protect and educate the consumers on their rights and responsibilities through its their rights and responsibilities through its activities focused on:activities focused on:

Research & DevelopmentResearch & Development

Advocacy & CampaignAdvocacy & Campaign

Comparative TestingComparative Testing

Education & Public Interest LitigationEducation & Public Interest Litigation

The UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection The UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection were adopted by the UN General Assembly in were adopted by the UN General Assembly in

1985, and expanded in 19991985, and expanded in 1999

the right to satisfaction the right to satisfaction of basic needsof basic needsthe right to safetythe right to safetythe right to be informedthe right to be informedthe right to choosethe right to choosethe right to be heardthe right to be heardthe right to redressthe right to redressthe right to consumer the right to consumer education education the right to a healthy the right to a healthy environmentenvironment

Article 9 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

•Article 9: Regulation of the contents and emissions of tobacco products.

•Specifically, Article 9 binds Parties to require tobacco manufacturers to test the contents and emissions of their products.

ISO and ISO and Technical Committee 126Technical Committee 126

What is ISO?The International Organization for Standardization recommends standards for states to adopt voluntarily. These standards regulate everything from asparagus storage to machine gun noise.National standards institutes are the building blocks of ISO-they set meeting agendas, direct discussions and ultimately voteupon what resolutions and standards emerge from ISO

What is ISO TC 126? ISO Technical Committee 126 (TC 126) is responsible for the regulation of tobacco and tobacco products.

Proof of the Industry's Knowing Manipulation of ISO TC 126 testing standards

Quote from a released industry memo: “You already know about the EEC mandate to reduce all deliveries to 15 mg. As we knew this was going to happen as early as 1988, we began to develop a strategy to react… The 3 year effort resulted in a new method (now known as the ‘new ISO’) which reduces the smoke delivery results by about 1 mg at the 16 mg level. The Marlboro sold in the EEC was initially delivering about 15.5 mg prior to any analytical new technology change. When the new system was implemented, the deliveries were around 14.5 mg, but remember, no product change ever took place…”

Key observationsKey observationsTesting of contents and emissions of tobacco products Testing of contents and emissions of tobacco products

(Article 9 of FCTC) is concerned, guidelines have still to be (Article 9 of FCTC) is concerned, guidelines have still to be developed and adopted by the COP. Against this vacuum, developed and adopted by the COP. Against this vacuum, the default standards are developed by CORESTA and ISO the default standards are developed by CORESTA and ISO TC 126. TC 126.

CORESTA is 100% controlled by theCORESTA is 100% controlled by theIndustry and ISO TechnicalIndustry and ISO Technical CommitteeCommittee126 is made of approximately 80% 126 is made of approximately 80% tobacco industrytobacco industryOf the 31 voting members of ISO TC 126, Of the 31 voting members of ISO TC 126, only around 7 of these voting members only around 7 of these voting members where able to send public health scientists where able to send public health scientists or regulators as part of their or regulators as part of their delegation to TC 126 meetingsdelegation to TC 126 meetings

RecommendationsRecommendationsWHO should be made proWHO should be made pro--active to recognize that inclusionactive to recognize that inclusionof public health concerns in ISO standard setting policies andof public health concerns in ISO standard setting policies andwork programmes on tobacco products is essentialwork programmes on tobacco products is essential

Consumers International must initiate capacity building Consumers International must initiate capacity building activities within their members to become technically activities within their members to become technically competent to compel competent to compel the tobacco the tobacco industry to provide full information industry to provide full information about contents and emissions of about contents and emissions of tobacco products and public tobacco products and public disclosure of information about the disclosure of information about the toxic constituents of the tobacco toxic constituents of the tobacco products and emissions that they products and emissions that they may producemay produce

What Can Contracting Parties Do? What Can Contracting Parties Do? (continued)(continued)

Is your country already a member of Is your country already a member of ISO TC 126? ISO TC 126?

Work from within your national Work from within your national standardization body to promote the public standardization body to promote the public health perspective;health perspective;Ensure that delegates from your country Ensure that delegates from your country are not all tobacco industry are not all tobacco industry representatives.representatives.

Voting Members (P) to Voting Members (P) to ISO TC 126ISO TC 126

WHO FCTC Contracting WHO FCTC Contracting PartiesParties::Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, France, Germany, Greece, Hungry, India, Greece, Hungry, India, Kenya, Korea (Republic Kenya, Korea (Republic of), Luxemburg, Norway, of), Luxemburg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UKSpain, Turkey, UK

NonNon--contracting Partiescontracting Parties::Cuba, Czech Republic, Cuba, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Russian Italy, Poland, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Federation, Switzerland, USAUSA

NonNon--Voting Members (O) to ISO Voting Members (O) to ISO TC 126TC 126

NonNon--Voting Members Voting Members (O) to ISO TC 126 that (O) to ISO TC 126 that are Contracting Partiesare Contracting Parties::Austria, Azerbaijan, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Zealand, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Uruguay, Thailand, Uruguay, VietnamVietnam

NonNon--Contracting Contracting PartiesParties::Algeria, Croatia, Algeria, Croatia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ivory Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, DPR of Korea, Coast, DPR of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro, Serbia and Montenegro, Tanzania, TunisiaTanzania, Tunisia

The Way ForwardThe Way Forward-- What Can What Can NGOs Do?NGOs Do?

NGOs can provide invaluable support for the NGOs can provide invaluable support for the antianti--tobacco movement by: 1) voicing their tobacco movement by: 1) voicing their point of view; and, 2) serving in a 'watchdog' point of view; and, 2) serving in a 'watchdog' capacity by monitoring and reporting the capacity by monitoring and reporting the behaviour of industry representatives.behaviour of industry representatives.If you do not already have a liaison status to If you do not already have a liaison status to ISO TC 126, consider applying for liaison ISO TC 126, consider applying for liaison status to better enable your voice to be status to better enable your voice to be heard.heard.

Whom Do You Contact?Whom Do You Contact?To obtain or upgrade liaison status, please To obtain or upgrade liaison status, please contact the TC 126 Secretariat, contact the TC 126 Secretariat, DeutschesDeutsches InstitutInstitut ffϋϋr r NormungNormung (DIN)(DIN)::AddressAddress: : BurggafenstrasseBurggafenstrasse 6, DE6, DE--10787 10787 Berlin, GermanyBerlin, GermanyTelephoneTelephone: +49 30 26 10: +49 30 26 10--00FaxFax: +49 30 26 01 12 31: +49 30 26 01 12 31EmailEmail: : margitmargit..heinrichheinrich@DIN.de@DIN.de

Thank You for listeningThank You for listening

I Am Now Open I Am Now Open to Questionsto Questions

Public Health Public Health should always should always

prevail over prevail over ProfitProfit