THROW OPEN THE DOORS

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is a closed shop. It suffers strategic and resource weaknesses. The result is more harm to tobacco consumers than would otherwise be the case. As long as the sole strategy is supply and demand reduction and the dominant tactic is to use exclusion to silence debate, little progress will be evident. These weaknesses can be overcome by throwing open the doors of the Convention to all interested parties. About the Author: The Hon Gary Johns served in the House of Representatives from 1987 1996. He served as Special Minister of State in the Keating government. He was awarded the Centenary Medal and the Fulbright Professional Award, served at Georgetown University, Washington. He was an Associate Commissioner of the Australian Productivity Commission and is Visiting Fellow at the Queensland University of Technology Business School. His latest book is No Contraception, No Dole.