As smoking declines in many developed nations, the tobacco industry is increasingly targeting low-and middle-income countries. The industry's latest target is Myanmar.
" They seem to think by entering the market stealthily, they can avoid public scrutiny," Tin Maung, Myanmar's top tobacco control advocate, told the AP.As they do in many poorer countries, the tobacco companies are exploiting a need for economic development and weak tobacco control laws to sell more of their deadly and addictive products. Unless countries take strong action, the results is usually higher smoking rates and more tobacco-caused death, disease and economic costs.
" Myanmar gives plenty of room for tobacco companies to focus on targeting the middle class and teenagers with cheap cigarettes" said Mary Assunta, senior policy adviser with the southeast Asia tobacco control alliance.
Myanmar has ratified the international tobacco treaty, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on tobacco control. But the country needs to adopt and enforce the proven measures including higher tobacco taxes, 100 percent smoke-free laws that apply to all workplaces and public bans, large graphic health warnings and bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.Unless the countries make practical measures, smoking will kill one billion people worldwide this century.
sources--campaign for tobacco free kids USA
 |
| Anti-smoking campaign in Thailand |
