Tobacco killing 15,000 Nepalis anually
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Every year, 15,000 Nepalis die due to tobacco consumption and smoking.
Thanks to the delay in the ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the promotion of tobacco products has been going unabated. “Earlier, the ratification was delayed, ‘citing the lack of authentic legal body in the country’. No efforts have been made on that front even after the formation of a new government and the revival of the House,” said Diwakar Raj Karnikar, president of the Nepal Cancer Relief Society (NCRS). Two officials of the Health Ministry had participated in the first Conference of Parties (COP) for the effective implementation of Tobacco Control Treaty in Geneva in February 2006. The COP is the governing body of the treaty. According to the WHO, concrete measures included in the treaty could help save 200 million lives worldwide by the year 2050, if a progressive 50 per cent reduction in uptake and consumption rates is achieved. Many measures in the WHO FCTC have deadlines and clear guidelines. With the treaty’s entry into force, countries have three years to enforce health warnings on tobacco products, and five years to implement comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. The NCRS will submit a memorandum to the government tomorrow, demanding that it ratify the FCTC at the earliest. More |
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