Amid cheers and clapping, representatives of more than 190 countries approved the world's first public health treaty yesterday in Geneva. It is aimed at controlling and diminishing tobacco use.

The new treaty has as its initial premise that tobacco presents a "mortal threat" and is a product that is "highly engineered so as to create and maintain dependence."

For Canadian smokers, the new treaty means bigger health warnings on cigar packs and other tobacco packages except for cigarettes, whose packs already have large warnings.

Canadian tobacco companies expect little impact from the treaty because the world is just catching up to Canadian regulations.