La globalización del derecho es una característica esencial del mundo moderno, que promueve, en su actual etapa, la confluencia entre el derecho constitucional, el derecho internacional y los derechos humanos. Las instituciones nacionales e internacionales procuran establecer el marco para la utopía contemporánea: un mundo de democracias, comercio justo y promoción de los derechos humanos. La dignidad humana es una de las ideas centrales de ese escenario. Ya ha pasado el momento de transformarla en un concepto más sustantivo en el ámbito del discurso jurídico, en el que ella ha funcionado frecuentemente como un mero ornamento retórico, cómodo recipiente de un contenido amorfo.

First Published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This volume is an updated and revised version of the General Course on Public International Law delivered by the Author at The Hague Academy of International Law in 2005. Professor Cançado Trindade, Doctor honoris causa of seven Latin American Universities in distinct countries, was for many years Judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and President of that Court for half a decade (1999-2004). He is currently Judge of the International Court of Justice; he is also Member of the Curatorium of The Hague Academy of International Law, as well as of the Institut de Droit International, and of the Brazilian Academy of Juridical Letters.

This report considers the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke. Many Surgeon General's reports have considered research findings on mechanisms in assessing the biological plausibility of associations observed in epidemiologic studies. Mechanisms of disease are important because they may provide plausibility, which is one of the guideline criteria for assessing evidence on causation. This report specifically reviews the evidence on the potential mechanisms by which smoking causes diseases and considers whether a mechanism is likely to be operative in the production of human disease by tobacco smoke. This evidence is relevant to understanding how smoking causes disease, to identifying those who may be particularly susceptible, and to assessing the potential risks of tobacco products.