Credit: Vera Kratochvil/public domain
A global anti-tobacco conference that ended Saturday urged countries to take steps to reduce the consumption of tobacco, which it said was a leading cause of disease and death worldwide.
In its final declaration, the 16th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health in Abu Dhabi also called for wider implementation of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for cutting smoking rates and reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases.
The five-day conference, which declared that all tobacco products are harmful, said they "pose an especially heavy burden on low- and middle-income countries and should be de-normalised worldwide."
It insisted that tobacco use, in all its forms, is a major contributor to the occurrence of non-communicable disease (NCDs), such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases.
Organisers warned that tobacco causes one in six of all NCD deaths and that almost half of current tobacco users will eventually die of tobacco-related disease.
And despite a decline in the number of smokers in many countries, more needs to be done to curb tobacco use to meet the global target of a 30 percent reduction in consumption by 2025.
According to the WHO, one person dies every six seconds due to tobacco—nearly six million people each year. It warns that unless urgent action is taken, the annual toll could rise to eight million by 2030.
WHO says NCDs kill 35 million people annually, of whom 80 percent are in low- and middle-income countries.
The WHO framework convention on tobacco sets out guidelines on steps governments can take, including punitive tax measures; bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; the creation of smoke-free work and public spaces, prominent health warnings on tobacco packages and combatting illicit trade.
The treaty has been signed by 180 countries but implementation "has fallen short of objectives," and the conference urged global cooperation to fully implement it.
The conference called for all countries to have ratified the treaty by 2018, at as well as for at least 30 countries to have adopted plain packaging and at least 100 requiring graphic warnings covering more than 50 percent of cigarette packets.
And it said that at least 15 additional countries should introduce a 70 percent hike in taxes on the retail price of tobacco products.
It also supported an initiative to be voted by parliament in the Australian state of Tasmania Tuesday to ban tobacco sales to all those born this century, to achieve a "tobacco-free generation."
The United Arab Emirates, where the conference took place, is at the forefront of anti-tobacco practices. It bans smoking in enclosed public areas and prohibits tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
It has also introduced graphic warnings on cigarette packs and prohibits the sale of tobacco products to under 18s.
Explore further: WHO chief wants tobacco firms pushed 'out of business'
© 2015 AFP
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
WHO chief wants tobacco firms pushed 'out of business'
Mar 18, 2015
World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan urged global action Wednesday to drive tobacco companies "out of business" and hailed progress in tackling smoking in many countries.
Study paints mixed picture of global smoking trends
Mar 13, 2015
Smoker numbers are declining in many parts of the world, but upward trends in African and Mediterranean countries mean the global total will not change much over the next 10 years, researchers said Friday.
Bloomberg, Gates launch anti-tobacco industry fund
Mar 18, 2015
Billionaire philanthropists Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates launched a joint fund in Abu Dhabi Wednesday to help developing countries pass tobacco-control laws in their legal battle with industry giants.
Nearly six million die from smoking every year: WHO
Jul 10, 2013
Despite public health campaigns, smoking remains the leading avoidable cause of death worldwide, killing almost six million people a year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Water pipes can be more harmful than cigarettes: experts
Mar 19, 2015
World health experts warned Thursday that smoking water pipes, long popular in the Middle East and North Africa and with a growing fan base elsewhere, can be more harmful than cigarettes.
Recommended for you
Health experts defend e-cigarettes despite concerns (Update)
21 hours ago
Health experts at an anti-tobacco conference in Abu Dhabi defended e-cigarettes on Friday, dismissing widespread concerns that the devices could lure adolescents into nicotine addiction.
Lawsuit: Dangerous arsenic levels found in California wine
21 hours ago
Dozens of bottles of low-priced California wines sold under such labels as Franzia, Mogen David and Almaden contain dangerously high levels of arsenic, according to a lawsuit filed by four California residents.
Less futile end-of-life care observed where palliative care knowledge is greater
Mar 20, 2015
When a nursing home patient is dying, aggressive interventions such as inserting a feeding tube or sending the patient to the emergency room can futilely exacerbate, rather than relieve, their distress. Palliative ...
The Oldest Old are changing Canada
Mar 20, 2015
In 1971 there were 139,000 Canadians aged 85 and over. By 2013 their numbers had risen to 702,000. The Oldest Old as they have become known today represent 2% of the total Canadian population. "They are a demographic reality ...
Thinking of drinking and driving? What if your car won't let you?
Mar 20, 2015
If every new car made in the United States had a built-in blood alcohol level tester that prevented impaired drivers from driving the vehicle, how many lives could be saved, injuries prevented, and injury-related ...
Suspension leads to more pot use among teens, study finds
Mar 20, 2015
Suspending kids from school for using marijuana is likely to lead to more—not less—pot use among their classmates, a new study finds.
User comments
Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more
Click here to reset your password.
Sign in to get notified via email when new comments are made.
© Medical Xpress 2011-2014, Science X network
Credit: Vera Kratochvil/public domain
A global anti-tobacco conference that ended Saturday urged countries to take steps to reduce the consumption of tobacco, which it said was a leading cause of disease and death worldwide.
In its final declaration, the 16th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health in Abu Dhabi also called for wider implementation of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for cutting smoking rates and reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases.
The five-day conference, which declared that all tobacco products are harmful, said they "pose an especially heavy burden on low- and middle-income countries and should be de-normalised worldwide."
It insisted that tobacco use, in all its forms, is a major contributor to the occurrence of non-communicable disease (NCDs), such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases.
Organisers warned that tobacco causes one in six of all NCD deaths and that almost half of current tobacco users will eventually die of tobacco-related disease.
And despite a decline in the number of smokers in many countries, more needs to be done to curb tobacco use to meet the global target of a 30 percent reduction in consumption by 2025.
According to the WHO, one person dies every six seconds due to tobacco—nearly six million people each year. It warns that unless urgent action is taken, the annual toll could rise to eight million by 2030.
WHO says NCDs kill 35 million people annually, of whom 80 percent are in low- and middle-income countries.
The WHO framework convention on tobacco sets out guidelines on steps governments can take, including punitive tax measures; bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; the creation of smoke-free work and public spaces, prominent health warnings on tobacco packages and combatting illicit trade.
The treaty has been signed by 180 countries but implementation "has fallen short of objectives," and the conference urged global cooperation to fully implement it.
The conference called for all countries to have ratified the treaty by 2018, at as well as for at least 30 countries to have adopted plain packaging and at least 100 requiring graphic warnings covering more than 50 percent of cigarette packets.
And it said that at least 15 additional countries should introduce a 70 percent hike in taxes on the retail price of tobacco products.
It also supported an initiative to be voted by parliament in the Australian state of Tasmania Tuesday to ban tobacco sales to all those born this century, to achieve a "tobacco-free generation."
The United Arab Emirates, where the conference took place, is at the forefront of anti-tobacco practices. It bans smoking in enclosed public areas and prohibits tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
It has also introduced graphic warnings on cigarette packs and prohibits the sale of tobacco products to under 18s.
Explore further: WHO chief wants tobacco firms pushed 'out of business'
© 2015 AFP
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
WHO chief wants tobacco firms pushed 'out of business'
Mar 18, 2015
World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan urged global action Wednesday to drive tobacco companies "out of business" and hailed progress in tackling smoking in many countries.
Study paints mixed picture of global smoking trends
Mar 13, 2015
Smoker numbers are declining in many parts of the world, but upward trends in African and Mediterranean countries mean the global total will not change much over the next 10 years, researchers said Friday.
Bloomberg, Gates launch anti-tobacco industry fund
Mar 18, 2015
Billionaire philanthropists Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates launched a joint fund in Abu Dhabi Wednesday to help developing countries pass tobacco-control laws in their legal battle with industry giants.
Nearly six million die from smoking every year: WHO
Jul 10, 2013
Despite public health campaigns, smoking remains the leading avoidable cause of death worldwide, killing almost six million people a year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Water pipes can be more harmful than cigarettes: experts
Mar 19, 2015
World health experts warned Thursday that smoking water pipes, long popular in the Middle East and North Africa and with a growing fan base elsewhere, can be more harmful than cigarettes.
Recommended for you
Health experts defend e-cigarettes despite concerns (Update)
21 hours ago
Health experts at an anti-tobacco conference in Abu Dhabi defended e-cigarettes on Friday, dismissing widespread concerns that the devices could lure adolescents into nicotine addiction.
Lawsuit: Dangerous arsenic levels found in California wine
21 hours ago
Dozens of bottles of low-priced California wines sold under such labels as Franzia, Mogen David and Almaden contain dangerously high levels of arsenic, according to a lawsuit filed by four California residents.
Less futile end-of-life care observed where palliative care knowledge is greater
Mar 20, 2015
When a nursing home patient is dying, aggressive interventions such as inserting a feeding tube or sending the patient to the emergency room can futilely exacerbate, rather than relieve, their distress. Palliative ...
The Oldest Old are changing Canada
Mar 20, 2015
In 1971 there were 139,000 Canadians aged 85 and over. By 2013 their numbers had risen to 702,000. The Oldest Old as they have become known today represent 2% of the total Canadian population. "They are a demographic reality ...
Thinking of drinking and driving? What if your car won't let you?
Mar 20, 2015
If every new car made in the United States had a built-in blood alcohol level tester that prevented impaired drivers from driving the vehicle, how many lives could be saved, injuries prevented, and injury-related ...
Suspension leads to more pot use among teens, study finds
Mar 20, 2015
Suspending kids from school for using marijuana is likely to lead to more—not less—pot use among their classmates, a new study finds.
User comments
Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more
Click here
to reset your password.
Sign in to get notified via email when new comments are made.
© Medical Xpress 2011-2014, Science X network
0 comments:
Post a Comment