Asian countries for ban on smokeless tobacco

Representatives of 10 south and southeast Asian countries, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, at the regional meeting of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control sought ban on smokeless forms of tobacco. The meeting was organized in New Delhi on 26 July 2013 by India’s health ministry in collaboration with WHO SEAR (southeast Asian region) which reviewed implementation of the WHO convention and major developments related to the treaty in the region and internationally. The participants also included representatives from Bhutan, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Timor Leste.

Smokeless forms of tobacco, including use of areca nuts, pose serious public health problems in most countries of the region.

The meeting also facilitated inter-country exchanges on implementation achievements and challenges, including identification of the best practices and the ways of further promoting their dissemination and use. It reviewed instruments available for implementation of the convention, particularly the guidelines and the reporting system.

It also decided to raise awareness of the newly adopted protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products and to promote its signature and ratification.