Smoke Across the Waters: Tobacco Production and Exportation as International Humans Rights Violations

This Article examines the operation of the tobacco industry in the United States. Part I examines the organization of the industry, the health consequences resulting from the industry\u27s domestic operations and receipt of governmental financial support, and the restraints upon these operations. Part II examines the role of the U.S. tobacco industry in the international marketplace, with emphasis on its operations in its largest points of sale in Europe, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East, and Latin America. Finally, Part III analyzes the activities of the U.S. tobacco industry and the U.S. government in light of the obligations of the United States pursuant to numerous international human rights treaties. This Article concludes that U.S. governmental subsidization of the domestic tobacco industry constitutes a violation of numerous international human rights obligations of the United States. This Article calls for the United States to undertake numerous actions to bring itself into compliance with its human rights obligations and to alleviate the negative consequences associated with the global consumption of tobacco products