May 31 2011: The World No Tobacco Day

31 May:World No Tobacco Day

The World Health Organization (WHO) selects "The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" as the theme of the next World No Tobacco Day, which will take place on Tuesday, 31 May 2011.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the world's foremost tobacco control instrument. The first treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO, it represents a signal achievement in the advancement of public health.

At the same time, WHO recognizes that challenges remain for the public health treaty to reach its full potential as the world's most powerful tobacco control tool.

In force only since 2005, it is already one of the most rapidly and widely embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations, with more than 170 Parties. An evidence-based treaty, it reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health and provides new legal dimensions for cooperation in tobacco control.

Implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Since it was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2003, 172 countries and the European Union have become Parties to the WHO FCTC. Among other measures, the Parties are obliged over time to:

• protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke
• ban tobacco advertising and sales to minors
• put large health warnings on packages of tobacco
• ban or limit additives to tobacco products
• increase tobacco taxes
• create a national coordinating mechanism for tobacco control.

This year, the tobacco epidemic will kill nearly 6 million people, including some 600 000 nonsmokers who will die from exposure to tobacco smoke. By 2030, it could kill 8 million.

"The treaty's ultimate success against the tobacco industry depends on the extent to which the Parties meet all of their obligations," says the WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan. "More needs to be done for the treaty to achieve its full potential. It is not enough to become a Party to the treaty. Countries must also pass, or strengthen, the necessary implementing legislation and then rigorously enforce it."

Tobacco use is one of the biggest contributors to the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases - such as heart attack, stroke, cancer and emphysema - which accounts for 63% of all deaths, nearly 80% of which occur in low- and middle-income countries. Up to half of all tobacco users will eventually die of a tobacco-related disease.

World No Tobacco Day 2011 Event: Supporting the FCTC

Time: 18.00 - 20.00, 31 May 2011

Avenue: Members’ Salon, European Parliament, Brussels

Host: Glenis Willmott MEP

Event Brief:

This event will provide an opportunity to celebrate World No Tobacco Day 2011 in a relaxed atmosphere over drinks and food and to acknowledge all EU officials and Parliamentarians that have supported the aims of the WHO FCTC.

The FCTC is the world's foremost tobacco control instrument. The first treaty ever negotiated under the auspices of WHO, it represents a significant achievement in the advancement of public health. In force only since 2005, it is already one of the most rapidly and widely embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations, with more than 170 Parties. An evidence-based treaty, it reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health and provides a new legal dimension for cooperation in tobacco control.

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts

May 31: World No Tobacco Day

Today, May 31, is the 23rd "World No Tobacco Day". At least today, you and I should work together to allow the good wish "World No Tobacco" come to reality to an utmost degree.

The ‘World No Tobacco Day’ every year has a specific theme. For example in 2009 it was "Refuse Second-Hand Smoke, Let your Lung Breathe freely", and this year the theme is "Gender and Tobacco: Concern Promotion Behaviors to Women"

Obviously, this year the theme of ‘World No Tobacco Day’ is against to tobacconists directly. As the market aimed to male smokers has no more space to dig – the number of male smokers in many countries and regions is continued to decrease –so tobacco companies around the world switch their expect for a huge profits to women.

In low and middle income countries, including developing countries like China, the tobacco industry begin to infiltrate through female market via various channels, they work hard to play up the benefits of smoking to women. Dr. Betcher, Director of WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, said at the news conference held at United Nations Office at Geneva on 28, May, said: "Tobacco companies are investing heavily in marketing to attract women, especially in middle income countries. They induce women believe that smoking is a symbol of beauty and liberation. Under the influence of this market strategy more and more young girls start smoking. "

Currently, 40% of men around the world smoke, while women smokers only accounted for 9% of the entire female population. Therefore, to promote more and more women to become smokers, become a big business in the eyes of tobacco companies. However, there is an unethical matter lies in this practice: compared to men, women are more susceptible to harms of tobaccos.

Among the 1 billion smokers on the earth, women smokers only account for 20%. However, among the 500 millions people who died from smoking every year, there are 150 millions are women, accounting for 30%. That is to say that among 800 million male smokers, there were 350 million lost their lives due to smoking every year, the ratio accounting for 0.44%; while the death rate of women smokers is as high as 0.75%, which is almost double the male.

Now the WHO is appealing to worldwide governments to prohibit all tobacco adverting, promotion and sponsorship activities, and take actions to protect women's lives and health from threat of tobacco. Aside from the resistance to tobacco advertising, promotion and activities, we should take actions from ourselves, exhort women close to ourselves away for smoking or persuade women smokers give up smoking as soon as possible.

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China