The National Consultation on tobacco control was held in Cambodia, last March 3rd and 4th 2010. Objectives were to understand the process of the draft law on tobacco control and share local and regional evidence and best practices on tobacco control policies from other countries. There were a total of 136 participants, including monks, high ranking officials from both relevant government ministries and non government organizations.

 

Throughout the 2-day seminar, participants acknowledged that tobacco use seriously impacts health, the economy and environment. Consequently the workshop participants issued the following recommendations:

 

1)     Establish as soon as possible laws and other legally binding regulations to effectively reduce tobacco consumption.

2)     Strengthen existing mechanisms and methods to carry out more comprehensively current roles and regulations to achieve more effective results including enforcement of smoke free work and other public places.

3)     Adopt comprehensive tobacco Advertizing bans in accordance with the last statement of Article 13 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

4)     To adopt regulations requiring pictorial heath warnings on cigarette packages.

5)     Increase educational awareness programs on the health risks of tobacco use.

6)     Increase tobacco taxation leading to increased national income and reduced tobacco use.