Tobacco is harmful to health, and it can cause many diseases. For over half a century, scientists have confirmed that smokers are at much higher risk of dying from chronic noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 22% of overall cancer deaths and 70% of lung cancer are caused by tobacco use. Smoking causes 6 million deaths globally in a year, 0.6 million of these from exposure to second-hand smoke, including 0.13 million children. Exposure to tobacco smoke is harmful. It will cause immediate and long-term damage to one’s health. All tobacco products are harmful, and any illusion of a “safe” tobacco product is merely that – an illusion. There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which came into effect in 2003 serves as the common consensus and commitment of the world’s governments in guiding them in collectively tackling the harms of tobacco use in a comprehensive and coordinated fashion.
In 2011, The Political Declaration of the sixty-sixth high level meeting of the United Nations on the prevention and control of chronic noncommunicable diseases pointed out that the tobacco use is one of the important leading risk factors for chronic diseases.
The Asia Pacific region covers both the WHO Western Pacific and Southeast Asia region, with a total population covering half of the world. There are approximately 600 million smokers in this region. About 2.3 million people die each year from tobacco related diseases in this region. Needless to say, tobacco use has brought enormous disease and economic burden to all countries in the Asia Pacific region.
In recent years, countries in the Asia Pacific region have made great efforts in advancing the work of tobacco control and fulfilling the obligations set out in the FCTC. These have included pushing the government to develop comprehensive tobacco control policy and legislation, banningall forms of tobacco advertising and promotion, raising cigarette taxes and prices, designation and enforcement of smoke-free environments, providing smoking cessation services, carry out publicity and education campaigns on the dangers of tobacco use, and to develop and strengthen tobacco surveillance and monitoring systems.
However, despite these advances, the biggest challenge we are facing is still the intense interference by the tobacco industry. Governments in the Asia Pacific region who are trying to formulate tobacco control policies for the good of the health of their populations, are constantly having to face blatant tobacco industry interference during the policy-making process. Even if a law is passed, the tobacco industry will continue to find legal loopholes in the law, to force exemptions and jeopardise the effective implementation of the law itself. In addition, also deserving of special vigilance are the following: with the strong economic strength, the tobacco industry would continue brand marketing via sponsored media,using disguising tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship activities under the banner of corporate social responsibility, taking advantage of poverty and disaster relief assistance activities for promotion of tobacco brands. All these developments only serve to hinder and weaken efforts to strengthen tobacco control.
In order to protect public health, let us join hands and strive to achieve:
Firstly, vigorously strengthen national mechanisms for tobacco control in order to ensure sustainability of tobacco control efforts.
Secondly, urge countries in the Asia Pacific region as soon as possible to implement effective tobacco control policies and laws in particular to issue and effectively enforce a comprehensive ban on smoking in indoor public places.
Thirdly, call] for all governments to implement graphic health on tobacco products packaging and raising tobacco taxes to at least 75% of the retail price in accordance with WHO FCTC recommendations.
Fourthly, to strive to reduce the population smoking rate by 5% in the next five year.
Due to the population size and sheer number of smokers in the Asia Pacific region (accounting for 1/2 of the global total), it is therefore no surprise that any advances or progress made in tobacco control in this region will have a huge impact on tobacco control globally. The countries of the Asia Pacific region should actively and conscientiously ensure effective implementation of the WHO FCTC, and continue focusing its efforts to establish a smoke-free and healthy Asia Pacific for all.