Latest news with #tobaccoControl
Emirates 24/7
a day ago
- General
- Emirates 24/7
WHO calls for urgent action to ban flavoured tobacco, nicotine products
On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) today launched a new publication and calls on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, pouches, hookahs and e-cigarettes, to protect youth from addiction and disease. Flavours like menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy are masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait. Flavours not only make it harder to quit but have also been linked to serious lung diseases. Cigarettes, which still kill up to half of their users, also come in flavours or can have flavours added to them. 'Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. 'They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.' The publication, Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal, reveals how flavours and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users. Currently, over 50 countries ban flavoured tobacco; more than 40 countries ban e-cigarette sales; 5 specifically ban disposables and 7 ban e-cigarette flavours; and flavour accessories remain largely unregulated. Flavours are a leading reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products. Paired with flashy packaging and social media-driven marketing, they've increased the appeal of nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and disposable vapes into addictive and harmful products, which aggressively target young people. WHO reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Anti-smoking veteran Subbarow honoured as tobacco control icon
Anti-smoking advocate NV Subbarow being congratulated by health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad at the national tobacco control conference in Cyberjaya today. (Facebook pic) GEORGE TOWN : Veteran anti-smoking advocate NV Subbarow has been honoured as a tobacco control icon for his efforts over three decades to educate the public on the dangers of smoking and substance abuse. The award was presented today by health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad at the World No Tobacco Day celebration in Cyberjaya. Subbarow, who is the education officer of the Consumers' Association of Penang, said the award provided him with renewed motivation to raise awareness, especially among young people, about the dangers of tobacco, vaping, and the use of shisha and drugs such as cannabis. He said his efforts had reached more than 25,000 schoolchildren at primary and secondary levels across the country. 'Some students have come back to tell me they stopped smoking after attending my sessions and that, to me, is a proud achievement,' he said. CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader urged the government to impose a full ban on smoking and vaping products, citing serious public health risks and the potential for increased drug dependence. 'These products pose a serious threat and are far too accessible, especially online. With just one click, users can falsely declare they are over 18,' he said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY: Some twenty Quebec groups call for major investment in prevention drawn from provincial tobacco-settlement windfall
MONTREAL, May 31, 2025 /CNW/ - On this World No Tobacco Day, close to twenty Quebec health groups are calling on the Quebec government to take a small proportion of the financial benefits it will draw from the settlement ending all litigation faced by the three largest cigarette manufacturers (including Quebec's claim), and to invest that amount in the tobacco control budget. More specifically, the groups are asking that 2.7% of the $6.6 billion that the province will collect – the equivalent of $30 million – be invested in government initiatives aimed at accelerating the fight against smoking, improving support for smokers who want to quit, reverse the youth vaping crisis, and better combat the illegal sale of vaping products, as specified in this recent letter to the Quebec government, signed by five provincial anti-smoking groups. According to Flory Doucas, co-director and spokesperson for the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control, "the fight against smoking is far from over, and unless this battle is accelerated, smoking will continue to monopolize a huge proportion of Quebec healthcare resources. Tobacco kills over 36 Quebec smokers every day, as smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the province. Meanwhile, public health workers, schools officials and government inspectors are overwhelmed by the vaping phenomenon, with new cohorts of young people continuously falling into the nicotine addiction trap. "Despite the financial compensation for victims and the injection of substantial funds into provincial coffers, the settlement negotiated and approved by Quebec and the other creditors has significant shortcomings, as it fails to include a single measure to force the industry to change its ways." In fact, the settlement endorsed by Quebec and the other provinces grants Big Tobacco total and complete immunity for their decades of dishonest and irresponsible marketing of tobacco products – in exchange for payments spread out over the next two or three decades. It even prevents the new 'Cy-près' foundation (with assets of one billion dollars) from funding smoking prevention or cessation interventions, stating that these "fall within the purview of the Provinces and Territories" [9.31]. "Given that payments to provinces, including Quebec, will come from current and future smokers, the agreement raises a potential conflict between the government's desire for revenue and its primary responsibility to protect the public. By investing part of the funds to fight the use of these harmful products, the government would counter the appearance or existence of such a conflict," explains David Raynaud, Senior Manager, Quebec - Public Interest Advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society. "The agreement doesn't include any measures to prevent or minimise further harm. It even stipulates that the industry must maintain its usual commercial operations, which includes recruiting new consumers of tobacco and vaping products, resulting in new victims and new healthcare costs. It would be immoral for the government to collect these billions without dedicating a substantial amount to prevent additional harm and costs," he adds. The settlement protects the vaping market The settlement exempts revenues from the sale of vaping and heated tobacco products from all financial obligations. "This extraordinary exemption allows for the continued aggressive expansion of the recreational nicotine market, inevitably leading to new consumers becoming addicted to nicotine and exposing them to new health risks," adds Marc-André Parenteau, Senior Advisor, Government Affairs and Advocacy at Heart & Stroke. "In our view, the government's primary responsibility is to do everything in its power to stop the suffering and loss of life caused by harmful and unnecessary products from a profit-driven industry. Without new investments to better protect the public from the nicotine industry, the popularity of its traditional and novel products will continue to harm the health and well-being of Quebecers while generating additional healthcare costs," concludes Ms. Doucas. See appendix : Financial needs and factual highlights ____________________________________ 1 « What Will Be Eligible for Consideration for Support by the Cy-près Foundation: Proposals regarding research, programs and initiatives falling within the scope of the Cy-près will be received by the board of directors of the Cy-près Foundation ("Foundation Board") for consideration for financial or other support from the Cy-près Foundation. Programs and initiatives aimed at reducing or preventing tobacco use in Canada are outside of the scope of the Cy-près because they fall within the purview of the Provinces and Territories, involving policy issues and advocacy. Accordingly, such programs and initiatives will not be considered for funding or other support from the Cy-près Foundation. » SOURCE Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Mail & Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
New law: Protecting South Africans from tobacco is no foreign agenda
Vaping among young people has reached an all-time high, The passage of the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill is a decisive moment for public health in South Africa. Yet, as we edge closer to enacting life-saving legislation, a familiar narrative has emerged, one that is designed to sow confusion and delay progress. Accusations suggesting that the drafting of this legislation is influenced by foreign NGOs are not only baseless but strategically designed to detract from the real issue at hand: protecting our people, especially youth, from the harmful effects of tobacco. South Africa ratified the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005. The treaty obliges its signatories to adopt stringent public health measures and safeguard them from interference by the tobacco industry. These obligations include consulting technical experts, researchers and civil society organisations to develop sound, evidence-based policies. This is not foreign meddling; it is the global standard for formulating robust tobacco control legislation. The department of health led the drafting of the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, working through established channels. Stakeholders across sectors as well as the broader public have weighed in, and parliament will review every aspect of the bill before its passage. The narrative that South Africa is ceding its policymaking to external agendas is nothing more than an industry-led distraction. It is designed to confuse, politicise and derail a procedurally sound process that aligns with our constitutional and international commitments. For decades, the tobacco industry has relied on diversion tactics, questioning the integrity of organisations and individuals who are advocating for public health reforms. South Africa is merely the latest chapter in this global playbook. But make no mistake, this bill is neither a foreign imposition nor the product of external pressure. It is the culmination of years of evidence-based recommendations and domestic public input, aligned with South Africa's sovereign obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The tobacco industry thrives not only on selling products that harm health but also on derailing policies that could save lives. Around the world, the industry has wielded its significant resources to manufacture doubt, discredit public health advocates and shift attention away from the substance of legislation — all to pave the way to profit from deadly tobacco and nicotine products, which include cigarettes, heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes. Whether in Pakistan, the Philippines or South Africa, the playbook remains the same: scatter unfounded accusations of foreign interference, ignite nationalist sentiments and bury meaningful discourse on protecting lives beneath conspiracy theories. The industry will use any tactic, including mischaracterising the policy process, to try to stop legislation that has an impact on its business. South Africa is witnessing this tactic up close. Shifting the conversation away from the bill's purpose, the industry claims that the government's policymaking is compromised by external influence, even threatening litigation to challenge the legislation. Specifically, it is targeting the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids which, together with other experts, provided technical guidance during discussions on the bill. But this is what's not being said. The campaign consultant involved is a South African citizen, a former director in the department of health, and someone with decades of experience in public health at both national and global levels. She is not a 'foreign operative' but a lifelong servant to the health of this country. The real purpose of the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill is to curb the harm caused by tobacco and nicotine products, particularly among the youth. Young people in South Africa are under siege; they're targeted by an industry that relies on addiction to sustain its multibillion-dollar business model. Emerging nicotine products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco are marketed with flavours, slick designs and celebrity endorsements that glamourise use while increasing dependence. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey of 2021, 29.4% of adults in South Africa use tobacco products, smoked and non-smoked. A new national survey conducted for the African Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research, based at the University of Pretoria, shows that this had increased significantly, to 36.8% in 2024. Tobacco smoking, specifically, has hit a high of 33.9% or 14.9 million, a prevalence level last seen in 1993. Use of novel tobacco products like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and oral nicotine pouches among young people aged 16 to 34 has risen to 13.5% or 2.6 million young people. This burden translates to thousands of preventable deaths and a strained healthcare system. The new bill takes critical steps forward by proposing a comprehensive ban on smoking in public spaces, mandating standardised packaging, curbing advertising and prohibiting sales to children, as well as regulating unregulated novel products that didn't exist when the legislation was passed. Ironically, while lobbyists accuse public health advocates of being controlled by foreign entities, the tobacco industry itself is dominated by multinational corporations like British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco. These profit-driven conglomerates, which operate in South Africa, are the real foreign entities that are prioritising shareholder returns over the health of the general population. Their financial interests lie in keeping South Africa addicted, not free from tobacco harm. Time is critical when it comes to public health policymaking. Any delay in passing the bill equates to more lives being lost and more young South Africans becoming hooked on harmful products. By politicising public health discussions, the tobacco industry and its allies aim to manipulate timelines and erode momentum. Since the first publication of the bill in 2018 up to 2024, the total number of smokers has increased from 9.5 million to 14.9 million and vaping among young people has reached an all-time high. At its core, this issue is simple — as South Africans, do we want to prioritise the profits of multinational tobacco companies or the health of our people? The delay tactics and conspiracy theories detract from the real questions we must ask our policymakers and ourselves as a nation. How do we safeguard future generations from the harm caused by tobacco? How do we align our policies with science and evidence? How do we ensure that multinational corporations cannot exploit our youth for profit? The bill before parliament reflects a long-standing public health mandate, shaped by years of domestic input and aligned with our international obligations. Smoking-related illnesses claim about 40 000 South African lives annually. This bill offers a way forward and is a chance to break cycles of addiction, disease and suffering. The time for decisive action has arrived. It is incumbent upon all of us to reject tactics that perpetuate harm and support measures that secure the well-being of our nation. The science is settled. The need is urgent. The delay is political. Choosing health is not only the right thing to do; it is the only thing to do. Professor Lekan Ayo-Yusuf is the head of the School of Health Systems and Public Health at the University of Pretoria, director of the National Council Against Smoking and director of the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Tobacco industry's sly promotion tactics must be countered with force
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement Each year on May 31, the world observes World No Tobacco Day, a vital occasion to confront one of the most preventable global health threats. Launched by the World Health Organization in 1988, the initiative mobilised action against the tobacco industry's deadly influence. Appropriately, this year's campaign will focus on the industry's promotion of nicotine products. It puts the spotlight squarely on how tobacco companies continue to lure young consumers and entrench addiction under the guise of modernity and choice. Tobacco remains a global killer, claiming over 8 million lives annually and causing untold suffering through diseases such as cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory conditions. The toll is not limited to smokers – second-hand smoke endangers millions more. Over the years, countries have embraced the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, banning public smoking, mandating warning labels and restricting advertising. However, weak enforcement and legal loopholes persist. Advertisement
