Sat, May 26 2012

UN meeting agrees on stronger smoking control measures

Sun, Nov 21 2010 22:58 CET

byThe Sofia Echo staff

3574 Views
UN meeting agrees on stronger smoking control measures

Photo: mi-sio/sxc.hu

Parties to a United Nations convention on tobacco have adopted a number of new measures to strengthen the control of tobacco use worldwide, including regulating flavouring ingredients that increase attractiveness of tobacco products, the UN News Service said on November 21 2010.

Parties to the UN World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) unanimously adopted the measures at the 4th session of the conference of the parties to the convention which ended yesterday in Punta Del Este, Uruguay.

State parties to the convention also agreed that services aimed at enabling people to stop smoking should be integrated into national health systems to make them easily available for more smokers who wish to quit.

They also decided that there should be mechanisms to build capacity to support education, communication and training with a view to raising public awareness and promoting social change on tobacco use.

A report on price and taxation policy of tobacco products was discussed and delegates agreed to establish a working group tasked with examining the issue further and, if possible, prepare guidelines for implementation.

Parties to the convention also decided that work on economically sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing will be extended in order to find appropriate policy options and recommendations.

Negotiations on a protocol to combat illicit trade in tobacco products should continue with the aim of concluding it in 2012, it was decided.

Delegates also adopted decisions on promoting the treaty's implementation and strengthening assistance to developing countries to meet their obligations under the convention.

They also decided that further work is required on the control and prevention of smokeless tobacco products and "electronic cigarettes" liability with regard to the health effects of tobacco consumption and cross-border advertisement.

The conference is the governing body of the WHO FCTC and, as of this month, is comprised of 171 parties to the convention. The WHO FCTC is the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO and provides a new legal dimension for international health cooperation.

  • Print
  • Send via email
  • Translate to
  • Share:

To post comments, please, Login or Register.


Please read the The Sofia Echo forum comments policy.

Smoking ban will boost tourism business, European Health Commissioner says

Former smoker John Dalli congratulates Bulgaria on its planned public puffing ban.

Bulgaria to introduce complete ban on smoking in small cafes in mid-2011

The move was agreed during a meeting between Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, Health Minister Stefan Konstantinov, Desislava Atanasova, chair of the parliamentary health committee, representatives of the Economy Ministry, the Bulgarian hotel and restaurant association and the Sofia Association of Hotel Managers.

Bulgaria's cigarette sales decreased 35 per cent in 2010

Bulgaria's cigarette market decreased by more than 35 per cent to 10.6 billion pieces in 2010, according to domestic tobacco companies' figures. In 2009, sales were 16 billion pieces, and in 2009, 19 billion.

Smoking ban economics

Will people really obey the law and cut out the weed?

Heavy smokers twice as likely to get dementia

The reason heavy smokers are more likely to suffer dementia later in life is unclear, and may involve multiple factors.

Choking smokers in Central and Eastern Europe

Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia are among the latest countries in Central and Eastern Europe to announce or to step up public smoking bans.

Smoking now leading cause of death worldwide

The use of tobacco is now the primary cause of death around the world. And the director of the US Centers for Disease Control says not enough countries are taking adequate steps to discourage it.

Poland: smoking ban begins

Uncertainty abounds as government implements nationwide ban in public places.

Smiling at the dentist

Green tea, and even your mother’s dental health, could make a difference

Civil movement Without Smoke to monitor the strict application of Bulgaria's new no-smoking law

The civil movement Without Smoke has vowed to observe the strict application of the new no smoking regulation in establishments across the country

More in this category

Putin takes Russian presidency for historic third term

World leaders acknowledged Putin's victory with reservations, and international observers say the election was skewed in the former president's favour.

France elects first socialist president in nearly two decades

Hollande's call for more spending and economic growth has struck a chord with French voters.

Serge Sarkisian’s ruling party wins Armenian parliamentary elections – exit polls

Gallup International Association poll gives president Sarkisian’s party 44 per cent, while three main challengers alleged ‘machinations’ by ruling party in what – in contrast to 2008 – reportedly was a largely peaceful election.

Report: Only 14.5 per cent of people have access to free press

The Freedom House report says the media environment in the Middle East and North Africa underwent major improvements in 2011, but remained the worst-performing part of the world.

Don’t like the job, time to move on

Dissatisfaction with jobs is a global phenomenon and two-thirds of workers all over the world intend to look for another job in the near future, the survey concluded.

© 2000-2012, Sofia Echo Media Ltd.

Web Design by RIZN

Sofia Echo Media is part of the Economedia Group.
The news and information content on this website is provided by our editorial team and is copyrighted. Any unauthorised reproduction or use of it is strictly forbidden. Reproduction of this website's content is permitted only with prior written permission from the Editor-in-Chief, should be propertly acredited and provide an active link back to our site. Comments posted by the website's visitors are independent of the editorial materials and do not represent the views of sofiaecho.com. Sofia Echo Media cannot be held responsible for the statements contained in visitor comments. The percentаge change in the shares' prices are based on the price of the last transaction of the current session compared to the price of the last transaction of the previous session. Bulgarian Stock Exchange data is not real-time, but updated every 15 minutes, and should not be used as a basis for decisions about buying or selling stock options.