Debate is a series offering opposing sides of a continuing controversial issue in tobacco control. In this and the following article the issue of trade liberalisation around the world, and how it may affect the ability of governments to institute effective tobacco control policies, is debated by Douglas Bettcher from the World Health Organization in Geneva, Ira Shapiro from Washington DC, Cynthia Callard from Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada in Ottawa, Hatai Chitanondh from the Thailand Health Promotion Institute in Bangkok, and Robert Weissman from Essential Action in Washington DC.

Although tobacco control forces around the world are agreed that tobacco companies will stop at nothing to keep selling cigarettes and find new smokers wherever they can, they are split on some important questions of how to proceed. One issue that has proven divisive has been whether the wave of trade liberalisation around the world leads to increased smoking and undermines the ability of governments to adopt tobacco control measures.

Those who hold those views make three points. First, they contend that trade liberalisation and market opening around the world has led, and will inevitably lead, to more smoking as the multinational cigarette companies increase their activities in developing countries. Second, they argue that the rules-based international trading system, of which the World Trade Organization (WTO) is the cornerstone, places unacceptable limits on countries' freedom to regulate tobacco and tobacco products. Third, based on the first two points, they conclude that tobacco and tobacco products should be treated as an exception to the international trade rules, so that trade in these products could be more readily restricted.

The best evidence to date does show a clear correlation between increased cross border trade and increased smoking. Chaloupka and Laixuthai1 concluded that there was a substantial rise in the market share …