The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: The novelty of the landmark Lalonde report of 1974 in Canada was the idea that giant strides can be made in promoting the health of populations by changes in lifestyles and social and physical environments rather than through more budgetary allocations to existing health delivery systems. Healthy public policy, properly so-called has since been at the center of the programs, conventions and mandates of international health organizations, states and non-governmental organization. As health solution shifts from the curative orientation to the preventive approach, government action and Political Scientists have a great deal to offer public health. How has the politics of health prevention been applied to tobacco control? The research explores the historical and comparative application of the “healthy public policy” perspective on tobacco control in the United States and South Africa.

Methods: The research approach is a comparative macro-level policy analysis, using both secondary and primary data supplemented by a non-probability convenience sample of elite interviews conducted in the appropriate agencies, international organizations and the South African embassy in the US. The timeframe of 1980 to 2003 will be the focus of the research.

Results: The cooperation of national and international responsibility for “healthy public policy” has led to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Also, Powerful and wealthier countries are less cooperative and more unilateral toward international efforts at combating the tobacco pandemic than a less powerful and less wealthy country.