Ask Jamaica to Challenge Big Tobacco

Jamaica ratified the global tobacco treaty in 2005, yet the Jamaican government continues to support the expansion of the tobacco market.

Send a message to Jamaica's Prime Minister and Minister of Health asking them to follow global tobacco treaty guidelines, and stop colloborating with Big Tobacco.

Subject:

Your Letter:

Dear Honorable Prime Minister Golding and Honorable Minister Spencer,

It has recently come to my attention that the Jamaica Ministry of Agriculture is planning to expand the production of tobacco growing in your country. Reports also indicate that the Ministry of Agriculture will work with Carreras, a subsidiary of British American Tobacco (the world’s second largest tobacco transnational corporation) to build an “international” brand of tobacco.

Tobacco has a devastating impact on economies and on public health. Increasing cultivation of tobacco would help exacerbate these impacts in Jamaica as well as globally.

I am writing to urge you to stop to the governments’ plans for expanding tobacco growing in Jamaica. Jamaica is a Party to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Encouraging tobacco expansion breaches Jamaica’s legal obligations under this international treaty.

In addition, Jamaica has played a leading role in the CARICOM declaration to unify countries to stop the epidemic of Non-Communicable diseases (heart disease, cancer, lung disease). Tobacco is a leading cause of these diseases and is the number one cause of preventable death. As a key facilitator at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly Summit on Non Communicable Disease, it is important that Jamaica lead on this issue – and not undermine global progress on public health by encouraging tobacco production that ultimately spreads death and disease globally.

We encourage you instead to: 
•	Fully implement the FCTC by passing a strong and effective national tobacco control law, 
•	Assist farmers by supporting the development of economically viable alternatives to tobacco farming rather than encouraging the expansion of tobacco farming, and 
•	Follow the FCTC Article 5.3 guidelines which call on governments to prohibit partnerships and to limit interactions with the tobacco industry.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Sincerely,

Karen Rochester

Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Rudyard Spencer

Minister of Health, Jamaica

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Ask Jamaica to Challenge Big Tobacco

Karen Rochester

Rudyard Spencer

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Ask Jamaica to Challenge Big Tobacco

Karen Rochester

Rudyard Spencer

Main menu

Follow Us

How is your donation spent?

Charity Navigator: Four Star Charity

BBB: Accredited Charity