The world's first official tobacco-control treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, has been put into effect with 57 countries ratifying the treaty.

The treaty puts the ratifying countries on a course to stricter regulations for tobacco products and restrictions on smoking in public.

The treaty was initiated by the 56th World Health Assembly in May 2003, and has so far been signed by 167 countries.

China endorsed the treaty in late 2003 as one of its contracting members.

The United States participated in the negotiations and has signed the treaty, but the Bush administration has not asked the Senate to ratify it, and it appears unlikely to do so. Japan and Germany have ratified it.

Tobacco is blamed for five million deaths in the world every year.

(CRI.com February 28, 2005)