Progress in face of tobacco ‘epidemic’

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is urging Caribbean countries to speed up the adoption of laws to control what it refers to as the tobacco ‘epidemic’, according to a story in the Jamaica Observer.

The PAHO was quoted as saying that despite progress in the countries of the Americas the epidemic continued to grow. Presumably this is an indication that the so-called epidemic is growing more slowly than it was previously.

In a new report, the PAHO, a regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO), said applying at least six measures could help prevent one million tobacco-related deaths annually.

The six measures comprised the imposition of large, graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging that effectively informed consumers; protecting young people from aggressive tobacco industry marketing; banning all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; monitoring the use of tobacco products; protecting people from exposure to second-hand smoke; offering help to those wanting to quit smoking; and raising taxes on tobacco products.

‘These are the six practical, affordable, and achievable measures recommended by WHO to help countries implement specific measures in the Convention [WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control],’ PAHO was quoted as saying.