WHO sees tobacco control pact taking effect in 2005

The World Health Organization (WHO) expects the world's first treaty on tobacco control will take effect by early 2005, the international body said on Wednesday.

So far 32 countries have ratified the treaty, known as the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and eight more signatories are needed for it to become binding international law, WHO representatives said at a conference in Hanoi.

"We are very optimistic that this magic number will be reached by the end of this year," said Douglas Bettcher, coordinator of the Geneva-based Framework Convention Initiative, referring to the number still required.

The treaty, once it becomes law, will strengthen controls on tobacco advertising and promotion, institutionalize smoke-free policies and hike prices of tobacco products to cut consumption.

While citing tobacco consumption as a growing public health threat, the WHO forecast global tobacco-related deaths would double to 10 million people per year by 2030 if immediate steps were not taken.