Drive for Smoke-Free Yangon

The People’s Health Foundation (PHF) wants to make Myanmar’s commercial capital, Yangon, smoke free, by the end of 2022, reports The Irrawaddy.

“Around 10 million people smoke in Myanmar and another 40 million non-smokers have to inhale secondhand smoke,” said PHF Chairman Than Sein. “We have launched this campaign to protect them from secondhand smoke.”

Myanmar banned smoking in government offices, hotels, restaurants, tea shops, hospitals, schools, universities and transport hubs in 2006. However, compliance has been patchy.

The country ratified the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2013.