Cambodia kicks off new anti-tobacco campaign

A new campaign by the government of Cambodia aimed at warning people about the dangers of tobacco smoking has been launched by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, according to a story in The Phnom Penh Post.

At the launch of the campaign, called “Tobacco Makes Your Children Die”, the director of health improvement at the ministry, Chhea Chhordaphea, called for “more effective measures” to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke and to encourage smokers to quit.

Ung Phirun, a secretary of state at the ministry, said it was planned to submit sub-decrees to the Council of Ministers that would mandate smoke-free environments. However, neither Chhordaphea nor Phirun could provide a precise date for when that would happen.

Data presented at the launch show that 75 percent of women and 80 percent of children are living in families in which at least one member smokes.

It was said also that 80 percent of Cambodians supported smoking bans for public transport, restaurants and the workplace.

The campaign will see anti-tobacco messages included on tuk-tuks in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang and Kampong Cham, and in five short television spots due to be broadcast during the next three months.