The debate around tobacco consumption, vis-à-vis its implication on the health of human beings, has taken a phenomenal terrain.

While it is no more a matter of uncertainty on the part of tobacco users regarding its devastating effect on their health, tobacco companies appear ever influential in their manipulative might. This is what this seemingly united force against the deadly product is poised to undo.

This became even more lucid during the just concluded international anti tobacco conference in Durban, South Africa (the conference of the parties of the WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (COP3).

The week long deliberations which brought together about 600 delegates from the 130 member states across the world saw at play a fascinating display of renewed stamina on the part of people concerned with the devastating consequences of the consumption of tobacco products.

The participation of a wide array of instrumental category of people: medical experts; representatives of various civil society organizations who have made name in the crusade; governments; as well as private people who share equal concern, paid their way to Durban. And the result of their discussions demonstrates a strong feeling of readiness to tackle head-on the menace of these deadly products.

The weapon they have is the common show of commitment to implementing a convention designed to combat the global tobacco epidemic set to kill an estimated 5 million people or more every year. The point is: Life over profit.

The conference is widely credited to have achieved a wide range of goals as, from the on set, it is set out to explore fundamental issues like the protocol on illicit trade, mainly based on the report of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (Article 15 of the WHO FCTC).

The parties paved the way for continuing negotiations aimed at the adoption of the Protocol in late 2010. Beyond public health concern, illicit tobacco trade, including smuggling and counterfeiting, is widely seen as depriving governments of an estimated US$ 40-50 billion every year.

Participants had a lot to learn from other participating countries, among which South Africa, the host country, turned out to be exemplary. As its Health Minister, Ms Barbara Hogan, put it, the country had braced itself for it, and its leadership, including the lawmakers, happens to be true to their responsibilities to their people.

Her warning, however, of ‘unlimited resources’ at the disposal of the industry people, serves as an ultimate point of reference especially for those countries who are quite far behind in their implementation schedule.

Strong health warnings and advertising bans are critical components of a comprehensive approach to reducing tobacco consumption and saving lives, as are strong standards to help prevent industry interference in government implementation of tobacco control measures and policy-making processes.

Even before COP3, it had become obvious to all nations that the fact that the tobacco industry sells a product that poses serious health risk and premature death on its users; their interests are fundamentally in conflict with the public health and economic aspirations of nations.

This worry leaves them more alert than the anti tobacco groups are. The ultimate point to ponder on, however, is the fact that the issue is simply a matter of life over profit.  To put more crudely, it is a matter of making profit at the expense of lives.