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August 27th, 2011:

Public Health Ministry to revise tobacco laws

Aug 27th, 2011
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http://www.pattayamail.com/news/public-health-ministry-to-revise-tobacco-laws-5849

BANGKOK, 27 August 2011  – The Ministry of Public Health will revise two tobacco control laws in order to fight a new effort by cigarette companies to appeal young smokers while the number of new smokers is increasing dramatically.

Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri confirmed that Thailand is speedily controlling tobacco consumption in line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

http://www.pattayamail.com/images/news/2011-August/1/27-Public%20Health%20Ministry-N2.jpg

The minister however admitted that the two tobacco control laws including the 1992 Cigarette Act and the 1992 Non-Smokers’ Health Protection Act, have been used for 19 years without revision and thereby cannot protect potential smokers from new persuasive tactics in the tobacco business.

Mr Wittaya said the ministry hence will amend the two laws and related announcements to be more up-to-date and compatible with global laws. The ministry will speed up tobacco law enforcement in Bangkok and the provinces as well as educate officials, entrepreneurs, and people particularly those in educational institutions, about anti-tobacco legislations.

The minister added that efforts will be made to open cigarette-quitting service at all health stations while alcohol and tobacco free communities will be developed nationwide in order to cut the number of new smokers, especially youth.

Based on a survey in 2009, 21% of Thais aged more than 15 years old or 12.5 million people were smokers. Second hand smokers could be found the most in fresh or flea markets at 54%, followed by at their homes at 39% and at workplaces at 27%.

Smoking rate hits 30-year low

Aug 27th, 2011
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http://7thspace.com/headlines/392279/smoking_rate_hits_30_year_low.html

Hong Kong (HKSAR) – The daily cigarette smoking prevalence among the Hong Kong population dropped to 11.1 per cent in 2010, the lowest rate in the past 30 years.

The Head of the Tobacco Control Office of the Department of Health (DH), Dr Raymond Ho, said at a press conference today (August 24) that the 2010 daily cigarette smoking rate in Hong Kong represented a drop of more than half from the high point of 23.3 per cent in 1982.

He was quoting figures from the Thematic Household Survey 2010 conducted by the Census and Statistics Department.

Over the years, the Government and the community have made a committed effort in the areas of taxation, legislation and law enforcement, health promotion and provision of smoking cessation services, resulting in the gradual reduction in smoking prevalence.

The survey, conducted from October to December 2010, also showed that nearly half of the daily cigarette smokers (44.3 per cent) had tried or wanted to give up smoking.

“We will further enhance smoking cessation services and health promotion activities through collaboration with the Hospital Authority and community partners including the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Pok Oi Hospital, United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service, the University of Hong Kong, the Po Leung Kuk and the Life Education Activity Programme,” Dr Ho said.

The DH also launched a free smartphone application for smoking cessation earlier this month. This new quit-smoking tool is characterised by a number of interactive features such as information sharing with friends through email and Facebook, proactive tailor-made quitting tips and encouraging messages from 44 local celebrities. Smokers are encouraged to call the DH’s integrated smoking cessation hotline 1833 183 and download the new application to help kick the smoking habit.

“The DH will continue to work with various non-governmental organisations on school-based smoking prevention programmes for young people with a view to achieving a smoke-free Hong Kong,” Dr Ho added.

As of August 23, the DH’s integrated smoking cessation hotline had received 14,787 calls this year, which exceeded the number of calls received in all of 2010 (13,880).

Source: HKSAR Government

Advertorial about THS report of smoking pattern

Aug 27th, 2011
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Smoking rate hits 30-year low
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The daily cigarette smoking prevalence among the Hong Kong population has dropped to 11.1 per cent in 2010, hitting a low in the past 30 years.

The Head of the Tobacco Control Office of the Department of Health (DH), Dr Raymond Ho, said at a press conference today (August 24) that the 2010 daily cigarette smoking rate in Hong Kong represented a drop by more than half from the high point of 23.3 per cent since 1982.

He was quoting figures from the Thematic Household Survey 2010 conducted by the Census and Statistics Department.

Over the years, the Government and the community have made a committed effort in the areas of taxation, legislation and law enforcement, health promotion and provision of smoking cessation services, resulting in the gradual reduction in smoking prevalence.

The survey, conducted from October to December 2010, also showed that nearly half of the daily cigarette smokers (44.3 per cent) had tried or wanted to give up smoking.

“We will further enhance smoking cessation services and health promotion activities through collaboration with the Hospital Authority and community partners including the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Pok Oi Hospital, United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service, the University of Hong Kong, Po Leung Kok and Life Education Activity Programme,” Dr Ho said.

The DH also launched a free smartphone application for smoking cessation earlier this month. This new quit smoking tool is characterised by a number of interactive features such as information sharing with friends through email and “Facebook”, proactive tailor-made quitting tips and encouraging messages from 44 local celebrities. Smokers are encouraged to call DH’s integrated smoking cessation hotline 1833 183 and download the new application to kick the smoking habit.

“The DH will continue to work with various non-governmental organisations on school-based smoking prevention programmes for young people with a view to achieving a smoke-free Hong Kong.”

As of August 23 this year, DH’s integrated smoking cessation hotline received 14,787 calls which has exceeded the yearly number of calls received in 2010 (13,880).

Ends/Wednesday, August 24, 2011

吸煙比率過去三十年最低
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

香港人口的每日吸煙比率在二○一○零年下跌至11.1%，是過去三十年最低。

衞生署控煙辦公室主管何理明醫生今日（八月二十四日）在記者會上引述政府統計處二○一○年《主題性住戶統計調查》的數據，指出二○一○年香港的每日吸煙比率由一九八二年的高位23.3%下降超過一半。

多年以來，政府和社會在稅收、立法和執法、健康推廣和提供戒煙服務方面的工作努力不懈，令吸煙比率逐步下降。

有關統計調查由二○一○年十月至十二月進行，結果亦顯示近一半的煙民（44.3%）曾嘗試或曾想放棄吸煙。

何醫生說：「我們會透過與醫院管理局、香港吸煙與健康委員會、香港醫學專科學院、東華三院、博愛醫院、基督教聯合那打素社康服務、香港大學、保良局和生活教育活動計劃等社區夥伴的協作，進一步加強戒煙服務和健康推廣的活動。」

衞生署亦於八月初推出戒煙的智能手機應用程式，這項新的戒煙工具有多種互動功能，例如透過電郵和「Facebook」與朋友分享戒煙資訊、向煙民提供積極而貼身的戒煙貼士，以及四十四名本地知名人士的勉勵說話。衞生署鼓勵煙民致電署方的綜合戒煙熱線1833 183及下載新的應用程式，戒除吸煙習慣。

「衞生署會繼續與多個非政府組織攜手合作為青少年舉辦校本預防吸煙計劃，以達致無煙香港的目標。」

截至今年八月二十三日，衞生署綜合戒煙熱線共接獲14,787個查詢，超越二○一○年全年的總查詢數字(13,880)。

完

２０１１年８月２４日（星期三）

DOWNLOAD REPORT PDF : B11302482011XXXXB0100

Taking aim at tobacco

Aug 27th, 2011
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http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/175201/taking-aim-tobacco

Prof Richard Edwards

Prof Richard Edwards

In the year 2025 any smokers still drawing breath will find their habit on the edge of extinction. At least, that is the plan being promoted by “Aspire 2025″ – a group of experts led by a professor of medicine from the University of Otago. Mark Price reports.

If smokers think they have been alienated and ostracised by law changes in the past, just wait until they see what might be in store for them next.

Aspire 2025 makes no bones about it.

It wants a “tobacco-free” New Zealand by 2025.

And, if it gets its way, the next 14 years will become progressively tougher for the tobacco industry and for smokers who persist.

The members of Aspire 2025 are working on a plan to make New Zealand the first country in the world to end the use of tobacco.

But, will the New Zealand public and its lawmakers be willing to put its plans into action?

Aspire 2025’s leader is Prof Richard Edwards, head of the public health department of the University of Otago’s Wellington School of Medicine.

Health

Aug 27th, 2011
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/253668/tobacco-laws-to-be-strengthened-as-young-smokers-on-rise

The Bangkok Post Thailand

Tobacco laws to be strengthened as young smokers on rise

Published: 27/08/2011 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

The Public Health Ministry plans to strengthen two anti-smoking laws in a bid to curb smoking.

Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri said the government will amend the 1992 Tobacco Control Act and the 1992 Non-smokers’ Health Protection Act in a bid to catch up with modern forms of tobacco trade, marketing and advertising, such as online commercials and public events which are sponsored by multinational tobacco companies.

Mr Wittaya was speaking on the sidelines of a two-day conference on tobacco and public health which concluded yesterday.

The move was part of Thailand’s effort to comply with the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), to which Thailand is a party.

Adopted by 192 member countries, the FCTC was developed in response to a big rise in smoking-related illnesses.

An estimated 10.9 million Thais smoke, says the Public Health Ministry. The government is most concerned about smokers aged 15 to 18 years.

About 140,000 smokers are believed to have started the habit between 2007 and 2009.

The number of teenage smokers increased significantly after Thailand adopted the Asean free trade policy which allowed tobacco products to be imported tax-free, said Siriwan Tippayarangsrit, director of Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Centre.

Prakit Vathesatogkit, secretary-general of the Action on Smoking and Health Foundation, said the national health bill caused by smoking continues to rise.

Of the 415,900 Thais who died in 2009, 48,244 were killed by smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer, esophageal cancer, other related cancers, emphysema and strokes. The number did not include those who died due to the effects of second-hand smoke, as this cannot be properly verified, said Mr Prakit.

“Every one in 8.6 Thais died [in 2009] of a smoking-related cause,” he said.

“We have to deal with the tobacco industry, as this can’t go on.”

Since adopting the FCTC in May 2003, Thailand has implemented many anti-smoking policies, such as picture warnings on cigarette packets, a ban on tobacco advertising or sponsorship of events by tobacco companies, and forbidding smoking in enclosed public areas, said Hatai Chitanondh, president of the Thailand Health Promotion Institute of the National Health Foundation.

However, there is strong opposition to the FCTC from the transnational tobacco industry.

As a result, governments in developing countries were often forced to be less stringent with their tobacco control policies, said Mr Hathai.

Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri said the proposed law changes would cover a ban on tobacco trade, promotion and sponsorship on the internet, where tobacco advertising was flourishing.