Govts urged to ban all forms of tobacco advertising

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is urging governments to ban all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship as part of the full implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

In its key message to commemorate the World No Tobacco Day 2013, the WHO stated that banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship was one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce tobacco use.

Observing the day on the theme “Ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship”, the WHO is also urging governments to be mindful of tactics used by the tobacco industry to evade those laws.

According to the WHO, tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death globally and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults worldwide. It is estimated that over 6 million people die yearly from tobacco use , while another 600,000 people die each year from exposure to second-hand smoke and over 90% of these tobacco related deaths occur in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa (WHO).

According to the WHO, the tobacco industry was constantly trying new promotional tactics using non-traditional media to exploit advertising and promotion bans, adding that about one third of youth experimentation with tobacco occurred as a result of exposure to tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

It cited the placement of tobacco products and brands in films and television programmes, including reality TV and soap operas as one of the subtle ways of promoting the use of tobacco.

“Worldwide, 78% of young people aged 13-15 years report regular exposure to some form of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship;” adding that this group was five times more likely than adults to be offered free cigarettes by a representative of a tobacco company.

In Ghana, a statement issued by the Minister of Health, Sherry Aryittey, noted that a cursory look at the streets showed that public smoking is not as prevalent as it used to be in the past.

“The fact that 9% of adults in Ghana smoke cigarette suggest that the problem is far from over,” the statement further said.

It further stated that efforts in tobacco control over the years have yielded positive results but much is still to be done.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service, according to Myjoyonline.com, is advocating a ban on the use of cigarettes in Ghanaian movies as a way of controlling the use of tobacco in the country.

According to the Deputy Director and Head of Disease Control Department at the Service, Dr. Kyei Faried, the GHS’s plan for the year is to meet the leadership of the movie industry in the country to deliberate on how they can prevent actors from “sticking a cigarette into their lips”.

Dr Faried also wants movie makers to start including to their scripts statements that will discourage smoking. He believes this approach would be successful because the law prohibits “any act that will negatively influence somebody on the use of tobacco”.