World No Tobacco Day 2007

As part of my duty/service to the public, it's World No Tobacco Day today with the theme "SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENTS".

Did you know that tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world? One which can be prevented? It's well known that half the people who smoke regularly today - that's about 650 million people - will eventually be killed by tobacco. What's even more alarming is the fact that hundreds of thousands of people who have never smoked die each year caused by breathing second-hand tobacco smoke.

Which brings us to the World Health Organization or WHO which has signalled the urgent need for countries to make all indoor public places and workplaces 100% smoke-free. According to the WHO Director-General "(T)he evidence is clear, there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Many countries have already taken action. (I) urge all countries that have not yet done so to take this immediate and important step to protect the health of all by passing laws requiring all indoor workplaces and public places to be 100% smoke free."

For someone who knows a thing or two about this issue (though I won't attest to being an expert), tobacco use not only affects our health but it also has an impact on economic costs on individuals, businesses and society as a whole. These include medical costs as well as productivity losses. Plus workplaces which permit smoking incur higher renovation and cleaning costs and even an increased fire risk.

So when WHO's Director-General urged countries to pass laws to control smoking, you might wonder how effective is this move? Will it succeed back home? Let's take Singapore as an example. Currently Singapore imposes a ban on smoking on all workplaces and indoor public places, even extending the move towards 'outdoor eating places' (not a complete ban though). Anyone caught smoking in these places will be fined. Other examples include New Zealand and Ireland. Countries like France and Vietnam have also announced smoking bans but the problem which these countries face is that smoking is almost a culture to them. What's the secret to the success stories in Singapore, New Zealand and Ireland then?

First and foremost, strong government policies with the support of all sectors - public and private. Then we need to have the support of the public which can achieved by educating them, say in the case of tobacco use, of the dangers of tobacco use to both smokers and non-smokers hence the need to control tobacco use in the form of laws. Now when I say educating the public, it shouldn't be taken to mean as a one-off thing rather it should be a continuous effort by the authority as a means of reminding the public that tobacco use/smoking/or anything related to tobacco (including hookahs!!) is BAD.

So if New Zealand, Ireland, Canada and Singapore can do it, then I don't see why we can't..

On a sad note, no disrespect to the men in green but it's a shame that this World No Tobacco Day is eclipsed by the RBAF Anniversary.