THE FIGHT AGAINST SMOKING

Choose from the drop down box to find out more about a ban on a particular country.

10.02.2008
If governments do not act now to reduce smoking we could see as much a 1billion people die in the 21st century. Governments from around the world collect more than £100billion in taxes but spend less than one fifth of one percent in controlling its use. 'The cure for thisdevastating epidemic is dependentw not on medicines or vaccines, but on the actions of government and civil society,' WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan said.

The World Health Organisation called on all nations to adopt a six-pronged stratergy to stop people from smoking and getting them to quit.

They have suggested raising the taxes to as high as 75 per cent on the pack price.

WHO has identified six key actions (MPOWER) :

Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
Protecting people through smoking bans
Offering help to quit
Warning about the dangers of tobacco
Enforcing bans on promotion, marketing and sponsorship
Raising taxes

JUst five per cent of the world's populatio live in countries that fully implement any of the six measures.

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More and more countries are starting to clamp down on smoking, as they see the drain it has on society. Although cigarettes are heavely taxed in some countries, it by a long shot does not make up for the amount of money and suffering people go through because of smoking related diseases.

Did you know?

The sale of tobacco products has been banned throughout the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and it is believed to be the first country to do this.

Californian Department Health Service Awareness Drive

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