Nothing makes a person more uncomfortable than visiting their home country and feeling very helpless. As a Palestinian-American, visiting the West Bank, where I was born, forces me to taste the burdens of daily life, as well as feel the despair of an entire population. No matter how long the Palestinians walk, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Ream more »
The Denver City Council decided a smoking ban in public right-of-ways surrounding hospitals will stand, despite sharp criticism from neighbors and challenges with enforcement.
Two years ago, Denver became one of the first cities in the country to prohibit smoking on sidewalks, alleys and lawns surrounding hospitals.
“You had to walk through a cloud of smoke to get to the entrance,” said Carol Boigon, the councilwoman behind the ordinance. Ream more »
SUKHOTHAI : Nearly 10,000 families of Burley tobacco planters in Sukhothai have called on the Public Health Ministry to reconsider its plan to ban or phase out growing of two tobacco varieties. The ban on Burley and Oriental tobacco, in compliance with an international agreement on tobacco control, would leave only Virginia in the market, said Somnuek Yimpim, the headman of Thap Pueng subdistrict. Ream more »
Announcing the ban today on World No Tobacco Day, Health Minister Daniel Andrews also launched new data showing smoking rates among Victorian teenagers had halved since 2002.
“The Brumby Government has a long history of successful tobacco reforms, which are reducing the impact of tobacco-related harm particularly among children,” Mr Andrews said.
“Even though smoking rates among teenagers are falling, we are continuing to take action by banning the sale of fruit flavoured cigarettes in Victoria.”
Mr Andrews said research has found that fruit and confectionary flavoured cigarettes were particularly appealing to young females.
“Research by Cancer Council Victoria shows that 40 per cent of 16-17 year olds females agree that lolly or fruit flavoured cigarettes made them curious to try them, and one third of males indicated the products would tempt them to try cigarettes,” he said.
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A new ad campaign will help remind Wisconsin residents that the statewide smoking ban begins this summer.
Marathon County health leaders say less than half of the municipalities in the state have already passed smoking bans in their communities, so the transition will be a big change for Wisconsin smokers and business owners.
The smoking ban begins on July 5th across Wisconsin, which means all enclosed places of employment and public spaces will be required to become smoke free.
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A ban on smoking in public places in England led to a swift and significant drop in the number of heart attacks, saving the health service 8.4 million pounds ($13 million) in the first year, scientists said on Wednesday.
The findings of a large British study suggest that anti-smoking legislation has the potential to save millions of lives in both the short and longer term by reducing the amount of smoking and the exposure to second-hand smoke.
“These benefits are just a fraction of the total benefits of the legislation, because we looked only at the effect on heart attacks in the immediate period,” Anna Gilmore, director of the Bath University tobacco control research group, told reporters at a briefing.
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The Government will present a second draft of the System for the Prevention and Control of Tobacco Smoking to the Second Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL) on June 15, president of the committee Chan Chak Mo told reporters.
Yesterday, lawmakers and Government representatives gathered to discuss the bill, since the committee had demanded clarification last week regarding the law’s enforcement. “The Executive has listened to our opinions and will present a new draft of the bill,” Chan said.
According to the committee president, the Government did not give much detail on the changes to be introduced but he assured that the most controversial articles, regarding the places where the smoking ban will and will not be applied, will be changed.
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Accra, June 3, GNA – Members of Media Alliance in Tobacco Control (MATCO) in collaboration with the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health, has urged government to expedite action on the passage of the Tobacco Control Bill into law.
The bill seeks to ban tobacco advertisement as well as other activities that promote the use of tobacco in the country.
Speaking at a media briefing in Accra on Thursday, Mr Issah Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) and a member of MATCO stated that the country had failed to meet its obligation under the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in the implementation of a comprehensive ban on tobacco promotion in 41 countries including Ghana.
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SEOUL — North Korea, facing international censure for its nuclear weapons programme and a deadly attack on a South Korean warship, on Monday staged a special event to warn about the dangers of smoking.
Speakers at a Pyongyang event marking World No-Tobacco Day stressed the increasing social concern over the practice, the official news agency reported.
The agency, in a separate report, noted that a non-smoking campaign has intensified, with smoking banned in theatres, cinemas, schools, hospitals, sidewalks and other public places.
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May 31st is World No Tobacco Day, an annual event designated by the World Health Organization to educate people of the health risks associated with nicotine.Korea’s health ministry and 200 other civil participants gathered at the Korea Press Center in Seoul to celebrate the day and to act against smoking.Some of the nation’s favorite celebrities were also invited to persuade the growing number of smoking teenagers to just say no to tobacco. Read more