Ministry of Health hosted a workshop to disseminate Circular on Measures for the Banning of Smoking and Blowing of Tobacco Products at Workplaces and Public Places on 11 February 2014 at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Health.
The workshop aimed to disseminate the circular to all government ministries and relevant stakeholders to effectively implement the circular. In his speech, H.E Dr Mam Bunheng highlighted “As a Party to WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Cambodia is obligated to adopt and implement effective law and relevant regulations distributing to decrease the death from tobacco related diseases in Cambodian people accounted for nearly 30 a day as well as to alleviate poverty in Cambodia where about 100 million US dollars are wasted on buying cigarettes to smoke”. “Ministries, relevant institutions shall disseminate this Circular to all sub-national levels, private sectors including restaurants, eateries, hotels, and public transports to ensure the most effectiveness of the implementation of this circular” he emphasized.
“Tobacco use is the leading risk factor for cancer. Every year tobacco kills 6 million people world-wide, including 600,000 people who die from exposure to tobacco smoke. If no comprehensive tobacco control measures the tobacco death toll will escalate to 8 million by 2030. In Cambodia, every day close to 30 people die from tobacco-related diseases, many of whom are still in their productive years” said Dr. Pieter JM Van Maaren, WHO Cambodia Representative.
In this special occasion, Dr Yel Daravuth, Technical Officer of WHO Cambodia presented the health consequences of tobacco consumption, FCTC key articles especially article 8 which is on the Protection from Exposure of Tobacco Smoke recommending all parties to FCTC to adopt and implement effective legislative measures to protect people from exposing to tobacco smoke in indoor workplaces, public transports and other public places.
The Circular on Measures for the Banning of Smoking and Blowing of Tobacco Products bans smoking and blowing of tobacco products at workplaces, all levels of educational institutions, outdoor and indoor public buildings, public transports, health facilities, nurseries, children parks, museums, cultural and historical sites, gas stations, and flammable areas. To implement this circular, directors, owners or managers of aforementioned places have to put no-smoking signs at the entrances of their places or any appropriate locations where they are clearly visible to the public. In case of violation, violators will be told to stop or to smoke outside the buildings. In case of incompliance cialis online price or repetition, managers or owners of workplaces or public places shall cooperate with competent authorities to warn violators accordingly.
This is an initiative step toward implementation of the FCTC article 8. According to recommendation of the guidelines for implementation of the FCTC article 8, only total ban of smoking in indoor workplaces and public places in a particular space or environment to create 100% smoke free environment can effectively provide protection from exposure to tobacco smoke. Most importantly, effective legislative measures should specify fines and other monetary penalties for violation to deter repeated violations.
By Ms. P. Yeou, Photos from Cambodia Movement for Health
