WHO Headquarter at Geneva, Switzerland
Smoke-free policies bring health benefits.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has announced that
the implementation of
smoke-free policies in many Western countries has reduced the prevalence
of smoking and had
subsequent health benefits. Furthermore, such smoking bans to have not
had adverse financial effects
on the bar and restaurant industry, it says.
Dr John Pierce (University of California, San Diego) and Dr Maria Leon(IARC,
Lyon, France) have
prepared a special report on the subject, published in the July 2008 issue
of Lancet Oncology. They
showed that comprehensive smoke-free-laws significantly reduce exposure
to secondhand smoke,
which has been associated with undesirable health outcomes. Studies of
the effects of smoke-free-
policies consistently showed that passive smoking is reduced by 80% to90%
in high-exposure settings.
In turn, this has had health benefits in terms of a reduction in heart-disease
morbidity, a reduction
in respiratory symptoms, and an expected decline in lung cancer.
Tobacco industry tries to impede smoke-free policies.
The tobacco industries are trying to impede the introduction of smoke-free
policies. They have
done this by, for example, casting doubts on the adverse health effects
associated with exposure to
secondhand smoke. Further, cigarette firms will often try to promote alternatives
to total smoking bans,
suggesting environments thatallow both smoking and smoke-free areas or encouraging other
solutions to smoking, such as ventilation, rather than outright bans.
Source: Theheartorg. July 1, 2008.
Japan Tobacco Inc. insists to keep a smoking room in all public places,
including an airport terminal.
The researchers of the company propose the various separate smoking systems,
like in the terminal
buildings in New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido. There is no entrance and/or
exit door at the smoking room.
The company claims tobacco smoke may not flow into a passenger waiting
lobby. They were tried
every possible means to oppose a total smoking ban.
No-smoking sign at WHO Headquarter at Geneva, Switzerland
WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic
I am speaking to you as the head of an agency described by the tobacco
industry as its biggest enemy.
Today, we intend to enhance that reputation.
The WHO Report on the world-wide tobacco epidemic is the most comprehensive
collection of data on
tobacco use and control measures ever assembled at the global level. It
provides a benchmark
for now and a roadmap for the future. The standardized country-by-country
statistics tell us
where we stand. The tobacco epidemic is growing. It is shifting towards
developing countries,
with tobacco use growing fastest in low-income countries. The rise of tobacco
use in girls and
young women is among the most ominous of recent trends.
The report pinpoints the factors behind these trends: the low-price of
tobacco products, aggressive
marketing, lack of awareness about the dangers, and inconsistent public
policies to protect citizens.
The report also provides a roadmap. It sets out a package of five cost-effective
policy measures
selected because of their proven power to reduce tobacco use. These are
straightforward
common-sense measures within the reach of every country, regardless of
income level.
Among them, increasing the price of tobacco through higher taxes is the
single most effective way
to decrease consumption and encourage tobacco users to quit. This measure
can also operate as
a sustainable funding mechanism for governments to continue their efforts
in tobacco control.
I would argue that these measures are the silver bullets of preventive
medicine. Their power to
prevent disease and death matches that of breakthrough drugs.
These measures work. The importance of their impact reflects the magnitude
of harm caused by
tobacco. I am referring to more than five million annual deaths globally,
a figure that is expected
to surpass 8 million by 2030. By that year, 80% of these deaths will be
occurring in the developing
world. As a global community, we cannot allow this to happen.
The tobacco epidemic is entirely man-made, and it can be turned around
through the concerted efforts
of governments and civil society. Having said that, I want to remind governments
in every country
of the range and force of counter-tactics used by the tobacco industry-
an industry that has much
money and no qualms about using it in the most devious ways imaginable.
We have another powerful signal that the measures set out in the report
are effective. The tobacco
industry has fought tooth and nail to prevent or delay the introduction
of each one.
Industry does not want higher taxes. Industry does not want graphic images
on packs. Industry
does not want bans on smoking in public places, bans on advertising, promotion,
and sponsorship,
or help for the majority of smokers who want to quit. Industry knows very
well that these measures
cut tobacco consumption and shrink markets. That is exactly why we are
recommending them.
We are at the starting point with this roadmap. As the report reveals,
only 5% of the world population
lives in countries that have fully implemented any key-measures for reducing
demand.
This gives you an idea of the potential. We have to shrink tobacco markets,
prevent disease, and
save several million lives. This is the kind of change that WHO and its
partners aim to fuel by issuing
this report.
February 7, 2008, Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health
Organization
Tobacco taxes, smoking bans set to save millions of lives.
Anti-smoking measures, including higher taxes on tobacco products, bans
on adverts and controls
on lighting up in public places could prevent tens of millions of premature
deaths across the world,
researchers said. Similar steps taken by Turkey, Romania and 39 other countries
between 2007
and 2010 were already saving lives, the independent study published by
the World Health
Organization (WHO) said. "If the attained by these ... countries were
extended globally, tens of
millions of smoking-related deaths could be averted," Professor David
Levy, the study's lead
author from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, said in
the WHO's monthly bulletin.
Wider use of the controls could also lead to lower health care costs and
higher birth weights for babies,
he added. Tobacco-control measures already introduced in the 41 countries,
including Pakistan,
Argentina and Italy, were on track to persuade an estimated 15 million
people not to smoke, the study
said. That would prevent around 7.4 million smoking-related deaths by 2050,
it added.
The researchers found the most effective measures were increasing taxes
and banning smoking in offices,
restaurants and other public places. The first method would prevent 3.5
million smoking-attributable
deaths, while the second would prevent 2.5 million, they said. "If
anything it is an under-estimate,
" Dr. Douglas Bettcher, director of WHO's department of non-communicable
diseases, told Reuters
in an interview at his Geneva office.
It is a win-win situation for health and finance ministries to generate
revenues that have a major
impact on improving health and productivity," he added. Turkey's steps
led to a sharp drop in smoking
rates to 41.5 percent among men in 2012 from 47.9 percent in 2008, he said.
Six million people die
every year from smoking, and the toll is projected to rise to eight million
by 2030, according to WHO,
a United Nations agency waging war on "WHO's Framework Convention
on Tobacco Control,
which came into force in 2005, lays down measures to curb smoking and tobacco
use.
About 175 countries have ratified the pact, shunned by others that are
home to large tobacco companies,
including the United States, Switzerland and Indonesia. Measures include
raising taxes on tobacco
products to 75 percent of the final retail price, smoke-free air policies,
warnings on cigarette packages,
bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and offering treatments
to kick the habit. "We know
that in many poor countries, the poor spend a lot of money on tobacco.
They would be able to use it
for nutrition and education, which is a huge opportunity cost," said
Dr. Edouard Tursan d'Espaignet,
from WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative.
Source; Reuters, Jun 30, 2013
International comparison of cigarette prices and taxes
No-smoking sign seen at a restaurant in Burnaby, B.C.,Canada
Trains
Olympic Games and a restriction of smoking in a train by the host countries
| 1948 |
XIV |
 London (UK) |
| 1952 |
XV |
 Helsinki（Finland） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1956 |
XVI |
 Melbourne （Australia） Smoking is prohibited in a train.
 Stickholm（Sweden） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1960 |
XVII |
 Roma（Italy） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1964 |
XVIII |
 Tokyo（Japan） Smoking is allowed in a train. |
| 1968 |
XIX |
 Mexico City（Mexico） Inadequate information |
| 1972 |
XX |
 Munich（West Germany） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1976 |
XXI |
 Montral（Canada） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1980 |
XXII |
 Moscow（Soviet Union） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1984 |
XXIII |
 Los Angeles（United States） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1988 |
XXIV |
 Seoul（Korea） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1992 |
XXV |
 Barcelona（Spain） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1994 |
 Lillehammer（Norway） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1996 |
XXVI |
Atlanta（United State） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 1998 |
Nagano（Japan） Smoking is allowed in a train. |
| 2000 |
XXVII |
Sydney（Australia） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2002 |
Salt Lake City（United State） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2004 |
XXVIII |
 Athenes（Greece） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2006 |
Turin（Italy） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2008 |
XXIX |
 Beijing（China） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2010 |
Vancouver（Canada） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2012 |
XXX |
London（UK） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2014 |
 Sochi（Russia） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2016 |
XXXI |
 Rio de Janeiro（Brazil） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2018 |
Pyengchang County（Korea） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2020 |
XXXII |
Tokyo（Japan） Smoking is allowed in a train. |
| 2022 |
Beijing（China） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2024 |
XXXII |
 Paris（France） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
| 2028 |
XXVIIII |
Los Angeles（USA） Smoking is prohibited in a train. |
★This table shows the smoking ban in a train at the Olympic host countries
in and after July 2014.
China Government charges 2,000 Yuan for a violation of smoking restriction
in a high-speed train.
In UK, a penalty of the maximum 200 pounds is applied for a smoking at
a smoke-free designated vehicle.
Japanese Government admit to installing a smoking booth in a train to support
smoking act.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
How to protect yourself from toxic tobacco smoke when you use a restaurant
in Japan.
Tokyo International Airport has 69 smoking booths or rooms: the largest number among airports in the world.
Superexpress train, shinkansen, bound for Kyoto runs, with a smoking car
or a vehicle with the booth for smokers.
All sleeper-trains in Japan are connecting a smoking vehicle.
Department of Health, Labor and Welfare announced to assist an establishment
of
indoor smoking room in restaurant and hotels, and will increase the financial
support rate
from the present 25% to50% of the whole construction fee in 2013.
Japan Tobacco Inc. is trying to brainwashing Japanese people, using TV
commercial.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The worst anti-smoking measures have announced by Japanese Government in
2018.
Olympic healthy sports environment is frustrating.
A new proposal about smoking regulation by the Health Ministry of Japan
in January 2018:
1. A smoking booth is allowed in a large-sized restaurant and bar.
2. Smoking is freely allowed in small-sized restaurant and bar when 'smoking
sign' is posted
at the entrance into the facility.
3. How to classify is undetermined. Members of Liberal-Democratic Party (
Prime minister Abe,
Minister of Finance, Aso, etc.)
are requesting the line of 150sqm. If so, about 90 % of eating places s
are included and,
in almost in all restaurants, smoking is allowed.
This appeared to be the worst anti-smoking measure in the World, neglecting
the WHO and
IOC agreements.
January 2018 Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D.,PhD.
Political Background:
In June 2017, the former Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Shiozaki
has said that
the anti-smoke law should not be ashamed before the world. The minister
stressed that many citizens still suffer serious second-hand smoke in public
facilities,
such as restaurants and workplaces. He also said,' For the 2020 Tokyo-Olympic,
we are responsible for succeeding the tradition of the Olympic without
tobacco.
If a restricted exception was set up at a small-scale restaurant, the Minister
said
that the principles and exceptions would reserve and in most restaurants
and bars,
and the user can put a cigarette at a food-serving shop.
The flow of politics has changed greatly toward unfavorable direction,
in August 2017.
Prime Minister Abe and Finance Minister, Aso dismissed Minister Shiozaki,
because
he disagreed to a request of LDP members who admit smoking in the restaurant
and bars. As a result, the Tobacco Chairperson of LDP was nominated as
a Minisiter in
demand of Tokyo Olympic Games. He is the brother in law of Finance Minister
Aso.
At the same time, Representative Kato, who claims a separate smoking booth
in
a restaurant, was newly appointed as the next Minister of Health.
日本語
「屋内全面禁煙の法制化を」受動喫煙防止でＷＨＯが各国政府に勧告
2007年7月執筆 2008年2月加筆 2009年7月加筆 2009年12月英文加筆 2013年3月加筆 2013年7月写真添付
禁煙席ネット 医学博士 宮本順伯
This article was written in July 2007 and finally revised in July 2013,
by Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D.,PhD.
All photographs were taken by Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D.,PhD.
