February 28, 2009
Bangkok (ASTV Manager Online) – Delegates from the World Health Organization (WHO) joined ASEAN tobacco-controlling organizations’ representatives to seek measures to prevent interference in cigarette-controlling policy.
A joint meeting took place on February 27. ASEAN delegates included countries such as Japan, Mongolia and the Philippines.
Strategies were set so that they would reach the goal of preventing government agencies from getting involved in any cigarette firms’ activities.
Thailand targeted to stop intervention in the public policy, so that tobacco consumption would be cut in the long run.
Thai government had to update working units about cigarette companies’ strategies interfering in cigarette-controlling policy, according to Assoc Prof Dr. Prakij Vatheesathokkij, secretary-general of the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Foundation.
Most ASEAN countries had high smoking rates because of tobacco companies’ intervention.
There were totally 125 million smokers in ASEAN region, and this accounted for 10 percent of worldwide smokers.
427,000 Indonesian people died annually from smoking compared to 10,000 people in Malaysia, 87,000 people in the Philippines, 40,000 people in Vietnam as well as 42,000 people in Thailand.
