[JURIST] A new World Health Organization-sponsored treaty aimed at preventing children from smoking and helping adults quit goes into effect Sunday [World Health Organization press release], but its impact on the US remains to be seen. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control [NGO treaty advocacy website; official treaty text] gives members three years to require strong health warnings on tobacco products and five years to ban advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. But the treaty is only legally binding in the 57 countries that have ratified it [FCTC list of signatories and ratifiers]. The US has signed but not ratified the treaty, and the tobacco industry is trying to persuade the Senate not to ratify. As yet, the treaty has not been transmitted to it for approval. VOA has more.