WHO and Tobacco Control :
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and foundation of WHO Collaborating centre for Prevention and Control of Chronic Respiratory Diseases
Sohei Makino,
Professor, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Head of WHO Collaborating centre for Prevention and Control of Chronic Respiratory Diseases
In the whole world, about five million people have died from tobacco-related diseases every year. Forty-seven point five percent of male, and 10.3 % of female are currently smoking, almost half of all the children are exposed environmental tobacco smoke in their home. Direct exposure to the tobacco smoke is the striking risk factor of respiratory diseases, COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and so on. Although tobacco is sold by lawful means, the usual amount of tobacco consumption increases risk of death.
Adoption of WHO FCTC
Dr. Lee, Director-General, World Health Organization, noted that May 21st 2003 was a historic day for global public health. On the day, all of the WHO’s 192 member states unanimously adopted WHO FCTC. This treaty requires to ban the tobacco advertising and promotion, and to adopt clear health warnings on tobacco products outside package occupying at least 30 %, and to protect the people, especially children, from exposure to second-hand smoke.
WHO Western Pacific Region Tobacco Free Initiative
WHO Western Pacific Region Office’s objective is to prevent from tobacco smoking and obesity at the region. To develop effective tobacco control, region states must implement practical legal measures undertaking FCTC. Japan signed the treaty March 2004, and ratified it June in the same year. Accordingly the health promotion law was established 2002 including prevention of second-hand smoke in public place, and health warnings on tobacco package have been enforced.
Foundation of WHO collaborative center for prevention and control of chronic respiratory disease
WHO collaborating Centre for Prevention and Control of Chronic Respiratory Diseases was founded in Dokkyo university school of medicine in autumn 2005.
Noncommunicable chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, COPD, have been increasing with westernizing of life style, air pollution worsening, society aging, continuing tobacco smoking, and become major cause of death in western pacific region, and remarkably enlarge medical cost. Prevention of tobacco smoking is major duty of our center. In Japan, smoking cessation program for COPD patients is fulfilling. On the other hand, female smoking prevalence is strikingly increasing. Babies under maternal tobacco smoking had more prevalence of pediatric asthma.
All of the families must understand the harm of smoking and importance of smoking cessation, ILCA (I love clean air) blue ribbon movement is expected available to broad this understanding for this purpose.
