Towards a 100 per cent smoke-free Namibia

NAMIBIA has joined 145 other countries to negotiate a protocol on illicit trade of tobacco products and to adopt guidelines that stipulate 100 per cent smoke-free public places and workplaces.

The Conference of Parties, the governing body of World Health Organisation’s first international treaty, met in Bangkok, Thailand last week to set a work agenda for the coming two years and report on progress since the first session of the Conference in February 2006. The meeting took place under the banner of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).”This Treaty enables countries to combat the complex threats tobacco poses to human health, such as illicit trade of tobacco products, through international law, including through negotiation of a special protocol like the one launched during this session,” said Dr Haik Nikogosian, head of the convention secretariat.Namibia signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on January 29 2004 and which had gone through ratification by November 7 2005.Last week the countries adopted guidelines on protection from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.The guidelines, which were adopted unanimously on the conference’s second day, gave national and local governments clear direction to establish smoke-free environments.”Sound science proves there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke,” said Dr Douglas Bettcher, Head of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative.”We are working harder than ever with governments, civil society and other public health experts to denormalise tobacco, and smoke-free environments are one of the key measures to bring about this major shift in social norms to save millions of lives in coming decades.”The WHO announced on its website that the conference also decided to begin work on guidelines related to packaging and labelling of tobacco products and tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship between now and the third session, scheduled for next year in South Africa.Countries in need of developing projects for financial assistance in implementing the Framework Convention will get support through the WHO.The world health agency said the Framework Convention has become one of the most widely embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations since its entry into force on February 27 2005.The meeting took place under the banner of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).”This Treaty enables countries to combat the complex threats tobacco poses to human health, such as illicit trade of tobacco products, through international law, including through negotiation of a special protocol like the one launched during this session,” said Dr Haik Nikogosian, head of the convention secretariat.Namibia signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on January 29 2004 and which had gone through ratification by November 7 2005.Last week the countries adopted guidelines on protection from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.The guidelines, which were adopted unanimously on the conference’s second day, gave national and local governments clear direction to establish smoke-free environments.”Sound science proves there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke,” said Dr Douglas Bettcher, Head of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative.”We are working harder than ever with governments, civil society and other public health experts to denormalise tobacco, and smoke-free environments are one of the key measures to bring about this major shift in social norms to save millions of lives in coming decades.”The WHO announced on its website that the conference also decided to begin work on guidelines related to packaging and labelling of tobacco products and tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship between now and the third session, scheduled for next year in South Africa.Countries in need of developing projects for financial assistance in implementing the Framework Convention will get support through the WHO.The world health agency said the Framework Convention has become one of the most widely embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations since its entry into force on February 27 2005.