INB finalises agreement on tobacco

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 7: The sixth meeting of the Inter-governmental Negotiation Board (INB), at the call of the World Health Organisation in Geneva, has finalised the international agreement on Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) after three years of extensive discussion.

The framework convention contains formulating laws, without contravening with the country's constitution, to ban advertisement, promotion and sponsor of tobacco products within five years. It also calls for provisions of statutory warnings, which may also contain pictures and signs, on the packets of tobacco products covering at least 30 per cent of the total area of the packet. The convention has also provisioned to stop indirect advertisement and to curtail the easy availability of tobacco products. It has called on the countries to ban the labelling of confusing words such as 'Light' and 'Mild'; to impose significant taxes on tobacco products; making public places and offices no-smoking zones; prohibiting the sale of tobacco to children and underaged and to make laws for punitive actions against the wrongs of the tobacco industries.

The meeting, which lasted for two weeks, was participated in by representatives from 171 government and non-government organisations, including Nepal. At the meeting, developing countries expressed solidarity against tobacco industries and the political pressure of developed countries such as Germany, the US and Japan that have tried to protect their tobacco industries.

Shanta Lal Mulmi, Resource Centre for Primary Health Services (Recphec), a Nepalese delegate, said the convention would be signed by 192 countries at the World Health Conference in May. A press statement of Recphec said that while the number of smokers in the developed countries are decreasing due to widespread opposition, it is increasing in the developing countries. Referring to a recent survey, it said more than 120 million people around the world smoke, and in Asia 50,000 youths are added to this number every day. According to the survey, the number of tobacco-related deaths will double in 25 years to reach 10 million people every year without a global campaign against tobacco.

Other Stories

• Poorest women, girls still deprived of education
• Clear definition of IDPs sought
• Bestow special honour on Yogi Narahari Nath
• Japanese food aid to Insurgency Affected People
• Security forces recover gun in Baglung
• Pandit's book on health gets medical award
• Movement must to end untouchability'
• Dang still lacks essential services
• Australian envoy acquires informaiton of Himalayan Rescue Association
• Cassette released
• Complaint lodged