The government in Myanmar doesn't enforce the control of smoking and consumption tobacco product law.
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public
health threats the world has ever faced. It kills nearly 6 million people a
year of whom more than 5 million are from direct tobacco use and more than
600,000 are nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke. Approximately, one person
dies every six seconds due to tobacco and this accounts for one in 10 adult
deaths. Up to half of current users will eventually die of a tobacco-related
disease. Nearly 80% the more than one billion smokers worldwide live in low and
middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death
is heaviest. Tobacco users who die prematurely deprive their families of
income, raise the cost of health care and hinder economic development.
In some countries, children from poor households are frequently employed in tobacco
farming to provide family income. These children are especially vulnerable to “
green tobacco sickness,” which is caused by the nicotine that is absorbed
through the skin from the handling of wet tobacco leaves.
Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship can
make smoking more socially acceptable, impede efforts to educate people the
hazards of tobacco use, and strengthen the tobacco industry’s influence over
media, sporting and entertainment business.
Myanmar proudly hosted the 4th international consultation meeting of framework convention on tobacco control
in August 2002 where the countries of south east asia region issued the “
Yangon declaration.” Myanmar became a signatory to the FCTC on the 23th of
October 2003 and became a party to the convention on the 20th of
April, 2004 and it was the 11th country to become party to the
convention.
The national program on tobacco control was
officially launched in January 2000 with the drafting and approval of the
national policy on tobacco control and plan of action. The control of smoking
and consumption tobacco product law was adopted on 4th May, 2006
under the state peace and development council Law 5/2006.The law is as follow:
Whoever commits any of the following acts to
publicize for wide distribution and sale of cigar and tobacco product shall, on
conviction, be punished with a fine from a minimum of Kyats 20000 to a maximum
of Kyats 50000, for the first offence and be punished with imprisonment for a
term which may extend to two years and shall also be liable to a fine from a
minimum of Kyats 50000 to a maximum of kyats 200,000 for second and subsequent
offences:
(a) Setting
up signboard of advertisement, advertising by drawing, hanging the
advertisement, affixing advertising, distributing pamphlet of advertisement or
advertising by other means.
(b) Broadcasting or displaying by radio, film,
television and video or by communication system using high technology from mass
media channel.
(c) Distributing
by publishing in newspapers, journels, magazines and pamphlets or distributing
the same.
(d) Distributing
free of charge, handling out or giving as present goods containing the label of
cigar and tobacco product.
(e) Sponsoring
or rendering service to hold athletic game, funfair or exhibition or any
welfare activity.
(f) Describing
the label of cigar and tobacco product on any personal goods.
(g) Carrying
out by any other means.
However,the government in Myanmar doesn't enforce the existing law . The advertisements and promotion are being made in the eye sights. 66% of Myanmar people smoke and 99% of cancer deathes are related to smoking.
Reference -Dr.Aung Tun( Ministry of health, Myanmar)
Reference -Dr.Aung Tun( Ministry of health, Myanmar)
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| smoking can cause a slow and painful death |
http://act.tobaccochina.com/englishnew/content1.aspx?id=54567
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/7469-cigarette-seller-returns-to-myanmar.html
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/7469-cigarette-seller-returns-to-myanmar.html
