It is time to go 100% smoke-free
May 30, 2007
THIS year’s World No Tobacco Day theme, ‘Smoke-free Environments’ comes at a crucial time. A time when many governments around the world are recognising that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability.
By Jackie Tumwine
THIS year’s World No Tobacco Day theme, ‘Smoke-free Environments’ comes at a crucial time. A time when many governments around the world are recognising that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability.
As a result, a wave of smoke-free laws is sweeping across all continents. In addition, many more nations are ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Article 8 of this treaty requires governments to adopt and implement effective measures to protect people from second-hand or passive smoke.
Parties to the FCTC are meeting in Thailand this July to adopt guidelines to help in the effective implementation of smoke-free laws in order to fulfil their treaty obligations.
So far, over 400 organisations and individuals have endorsed the call on governments to adopt these important guidelines. The Global Voices for a Smoke-free World Campaign has some of the following principles:
-Secondhand smoke kills
-There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke
-Only 100% smoke-free public places and workplaces can protect people from second-hand smoke
-Ventilation, air filtration systems and designated smoking areas do not protect people from secondhand smoke
-All workers have the right to smoke-free workplaces
-Legislation without exemptions is the only way to protect people from the dangers of second-hand smoke
-Legislation must be effectively implemented, enforced and monitored.
The Global Smoke Free Partnership, a multipartner initiative formed to promote effective smoke-free air policies worldwide, has today released a compelling report: Global Voices for a Smoke-free World: Movement Towards a Smoke-free Future. The report gives the status of global smoke-free air and provides evidence that smoke-free laws work, are cost-effective, popular, protect human rights and save lives.
According to the report, 200 million people worldwide will be fully protected from second-hand smoke by July 2007. The report warns that each year that governments delay taking action leaves billions exposed to the lethal chemical cocktail of second-hand tobacco smoke and that designated smoking rooms like Uganda’s model leave some people exposed to secondhand smoke. The National Environmental Management Authority should protect Ugandans from second-hand smoke by stepping up the implementation of the public smoke ban.
The writer is the Executive Director,
Health & Environmental Rights Organisation
THIS year’s World No Tobacco Day theme, ‘Smoke-free Environments’ comes at a crucial time. A time when many governments around the world are recognising that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability.
As a result, a wave of smoke-free laws is sweeping across all continents. In addition, many more nations are ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Article 8 of this treaty requires governments to adopt and implement effective measures to protect people from second-hand or passive smoke.
Parties to the FCTC are meeting in Thailand this July to adopt guidelines to help in the effective implementation of smoke-free laws in order to fulfil their treaty obligations.
So far, over 400 organisations and individuals have endorsed the call on governments to adopt these important guidelines. The Global Voices for a Smoke-free World Campaign has some of the following principles:
-Secondhand smoke kills
-There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke
-Only 100% smoke-free public places and workplaces can protect people from second-hand smoke
-Ventilation, air filtration systems and designated smoking areas do not protect people from secondhand smoke
-All workers have the right to smoke-free workplaces
-Legislation without exemptions is the only way to protect people from the dangers of second-hand smoke
-Legislation must be effectively implemented, enforced and monitored.
The Global Smoke Free Partnership, a multipartner initiative formed to promote effective smoke-free air policies worldwide, has today released a compelling report: Global Voices for a Smoke-free World: Movement Towards a Smoke-free Future. The report gives the status of global smoke-free air and provides evidence that smoke-free laws work, are cost-effective, popular, protect human rights and save lives.
According to the report, 200 million people worldwide will be fully protected from second-hand smoke by July 2007. The report warns that each year that governments delay taking action leaves billions exposed to the lethal chemical cocktail of second-hand tobacco smoke and that designated smoking rooms like Uganda’s model leave some people exposed to secondhand smoke. The National Environmental Management Authority should protect Ugandans from second-hand smoke by stepping up the implementation of the public smoke ban.
The writer is the Executive Director,
Health & Environmental Rights Organisation