The convention is the first serious attempt to develop a worldwide regulatory regime for the tobacco multinationals and within it there is a proposal for a protocol on tobacco smuggling. The convention is a global response to a global epidemic of smoking-related disease. About 100m people died from tobacco-related illness in the 20th century. One billion premature deaths are predicted for the 21st century on current trends - the vast majority in developing countries. As the tobacco industry turns its marketing firepower on developing countries, tobacco taxes are one of the most important public health counter-measures and are endorsed as sound economic and health policy by the World Bank.
Smuggling undermines tax regimes and keeps the cheap cigarettes flowing.
Tobacco companies act as though they regard tobacco taxes as an ill-conceived government impertinence that stands in the way of greater sales. I hope people all over the world will read the Guardian's report, view the selection of BAT's original documents on our own website and that of the Guardian's and join those of us who think that this over-mighty industry needs to be held to account for its actions.