Turkey - like other tobacco growing countries worried that WHO will eliminate blended tobacco..

Coat-of-Arms..
According to a recent press release by the Aegean Tobacco Exporters’ Union, the World Health Organization (WHO) is taking action against the use of blended tobacco in cigarettes because of the additives in these products, in line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Within the frame work of the provisioned regulation, oriental tobacco blends may be totally banned as the organization aims to stop “input material” in cigarette production. If the regulation is approved in November, Turkish tobacco exporters will be facing a serious threat. Turkey is the chief cultivator and exporter of the type of tobacco known as oriental tobacco, according to the statement.

Turkey’s tobacco production constitutes 4 percent of global production of 7 million tonnes, placing Turkey fifth after China, India, United States of America and Brazil. The world cigarette market is in general based on blended cigarettes, which include a certain amount of oriental-type tobacco. About 65 percent of oriental tobacco is produced in Turkey, 25 percent in Greece and 10 percent in Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia. Production of Virginia and Burley tobacco amounts to little more than 3 percent (8 000 tonne) of total tobacco production in Turkey.

Turkey Tobacco production, Turkey Tobacco production, NOT current.

It is felt that tobacco growers and workers should be involved at every stage of policy development and implementation. WHO’s decision to present final guidelines for adoption by the 171 member countries of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) at a meeting to take place in Uruguay in November 2010.

The guidelines for FCTC articles 9 and 10, would ban the use of ingredients other than tobacco in cigarette production. These ingredients are necessary in the manufacture of blended tobacco products, composed primarily of Burley and Oriental tobacco, which account for more than half the cigarettes smoked in the world, outside China. Without them, farmers of Burley and Oriental would see demand for their crops disappear. The recommendations for articles 17 and 18 are meant to provide viable crop alternatives to tobacco growing, but fail to present economically feasible options for tobacco farmers. The proposal risks decimating growers’ livelihoods, condemning millions to a life of poverty and crippling the economies of many developing countries - the very same countries the WHO is funded to help.

Reference: WHO decision will kill tobacco farming in eastern Turkey, NURDAN BOZKURT, HurriyetDailyNews.com, 10/10/2010.

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Europe - tobacco growers are worried but no change until an alternative is found..;
Asian Tobacco Farmers worried Article 9 & 10 WHO FCTC..;
U.S. Burley tobacco growers - WHO FCTC articles elimination of American-style cigarettes..;
Thailand govt - wants to ban the growing of Burley and Oriental tobacco..;
Canada - bill to ban flavored tobacco products gets final approval - Burley Tobacco...