Tobacco.org

• Imams Decry Smoking  

An increasing number of areas are now prohibited for smokers.

This would emphasise the dangers of puffing especially to passive smokers, religious leaders revealed in their Friday sermon yesterday.

Imams said that the nation has widened areas prohibited for smoking. . . .

"We must obey the constructive advice that calls us to refrain from smoking. It's better to be safe than sorry. We should be able to think and differentiate the good from the bad. We should respect others who use the same facility and should not think selfishly only about one's wishes."

Imams added, "There are many matters that can threaten one's life, one of which is cigarette smoking. The health experts too have supported this theory through research.

"Efforts to awaken the public on its dangers have been repeatedly highlighted in the media and Friday sermons, but have sadly fallen on deaf ears," they said.

Cigarette smoking can still be seen everywhere, be it at prohibited places . . .

Ummah should be grateful for such well being and must not be destroyed. Cigarette smoking may not kill one instantly, but the poison could risk one's life. Hence, cigarette smoking resembles a suicide attempt," the religious leaders said.

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• Tobacco Order Still Flouted Due To Enforcement Delay  

According to related authorities from the Ministry of Health, the Tobacco Order which was supposed to be enforced by February 1, 2008 has been delayed to further notifications due to some amendments currently made by the ministry.

The decision of the new order which has the major support from members of the public is still being discussed by the related authorities from the ministry and will be informed to the public as soon as possible as to why the enforcement is being delayed.

So far, when interviewed by The Brunei Times, some restaurant and cafe owners in the sultanate said that they have not received any letter or notice saying that the enforcement of the order was due to start.

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• Tobacco Order Comes Into Effect From Feb 1 

The Tobacco Order which will be fully enforced by the Ministry of Health next month has the support of many locals in the country. After a final grace period of six months, which had started last August 2007, the Order will come into effect on February 1. The order aims to reduce consumption of "tobacco products" which include cigarettes, cigars or any other forms of tobacco including any mixture containing tobacco. The consumption of such products will be prohibited in public areas.

The order also makes it an offence to smoke in certain public places and vehicles and anyone found guilty of violating the order will face a fine not exceeding $1,000.

Furthermore, the order requires that managers of specified places or an operator of specified vehicles to display notices which states that smoking is prohibited by law.

Also, the purpose of the order is to deter and ultimately eliminate under age smoking which currently is a common habit in the country.

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Stores Need Licence To Sell Cigarettes  

Taking a tough stance in outlawing smoking in public places, the full effect of Tobacco Order in Brunei Darussalam will soon prohibit restaurants and caf�s from selling or allowing the use of any form of tobacco including shisha smoking.

Department and convenience stores in the country will also have to apply for a separate business licence to sell tobacco products. The additional licence is expected to come with an annual fee of $1,200 for importers and $300 for retailers and the full enforcement of the Order is likely to push cigarette prices up.

Display of tobacco at retail shops, prominent tobacco packaging behind cashier tables and self-serving tobacco product displays will also be a thing of the past as cigarettes must be made available for sale in a 'discreet' manner.

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Smoking Zone At Siti Rabiah 

The Ministry of Health is trying its best to educate the public about the dangers of smoking.

Hence, some enterprising restaurants have divided their area for smokers and nonsmokers. . . .

Siti Rabiah Restaurant, which serves Bruneian and western food, just re-opened this week with a smoking zone, complete with a health warning.

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Smokers Need Special Zones Outside Eateries  

Since the enforcement of the Tobacco Order 2005 on August 1 this year which includes no smoking at certain areas including restaurants, most eatery operators in the country have been taking steps by setting up tables and chairs at the foot-way outside their premises as a smoking zone for the convenience of smoking customers.

The owners and staff at restaurants and eating outlets have taken the initiative by putting up "No Smoking" signs inside their premises and even dare to ask smoking customers to move to the allocated smoking zone if they want to light up.

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Cigarette Smugglers Busted In Menglait 

The personnel of Royal Customs and Excise Department in cooperation with the Immigration and National Registration Department seized 138 cartons of cigarettes and 10 cartons of traditional conventional medicine, believed to have been smuggled into the country.

In an early morning raid, an Indonesian woman and man, both in their thirties, were detained for further investigation.

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$10,000 Fine, Jail For Tobacco Advts 

Under Section 17 of the Tobacco Order 2005, anything that is deemed as an advertisement to promote tobacco could see the violator slapped with $10,000 fine, six months' jail or both. And under Section 16 of the Order, smoking is prohibited in specified public places like schools, government premises, shopping complex and food outlets and offenders could face a fine not exceeding $1,000.

Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Health, Dk Hjh Suzylawati bte Pg Indera Wijaya Pg Dr Hj Ismail, in delivering her presentation at an enforcement workshop on the Tobacco Order 2005, highlighted the 36 sections of the order that are divided into six parts.

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• Brunei bans cigarette advertisements, smoking in selected public places 

Brunei began implementing new rules Wednesday to discourage smoking by banning cigarette advertisements and restricting smoking in public places.

The Tobacco Order -- which is expected to be fully enforced in six months or later -- aims to curb "the negative impact and danger of tobacco ... to the public's health, economy and environment," the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The law forbids advertisements related to smoking and states that tobacco importers and retailers must obtain government licenses. They must not sell tobacco products to youths under 18 years old.

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'Curb Smoking Raising Prices Of Cigarettes' 

Relevant authorities should consider raising the prices of tobacco products to stop more people from smoking in Brunei, a speaker at the Medical Science Conference said yesterday.

To promote a supportive environment that discourages people from smoking, there should be a tax increase of cigarettes because tobacco products are sold at a relatively cheap price in. the sultanate, said Jonathan Lim, a second year medical student at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Speaking on "Smoking Cessation: Management and Services Available in Brunei Darussalam", he said that one cigarette pack costs $2-$3, which is affordable for the majority in Brunei.

"Tax increases that raise the price of tobacco products are the most powerful policy tool to reduce tobacco use, and the single most cost-effective intervention," according to a World Bank report on tobacco control.

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Curbing Young From Picking Up Smoking Habit  

There is no conclusive evidence to show the prevalence of schoolchildren attempting to smoke cigarettes in the sultanate, based on a study the results of which were presented at a conference yesterday.

However, the study entitled "An Evaluation of the impact of Anti-Smoking Initiatives in School Health Promoting Programme among Primary Schools in Brunei Darussalam" involved only seven government schools.

Nonetheless, Nik Ani Afiqah Tuah, a lecturer of Universiti Brunei Darussalam who presented the study at the Medical Science Conference, stressed the need for increased attention on preventing primary schoolchildren from picking up the habit of smoking.

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Shisha Smoking More Harmful Than Cigarettes 

Shisha smokers who regard shisha as another form of smoking with a lower risk should reconsider their thoughts. Its long and short term effects have been revealed by the Health Education and Promotion Unit of the Ministry of Health.

According to research result issued by the Unit, 45 minutes of shisha smoking is equivalent to smoking 50 tobacco cigarettes.

Shisha is a smoking device comprising of a hard body, a water pipe, hose and clay pot, where the substance burnt is a mix of tobacco, honey and fruit flavouring.

"You can actually see, roughly, that there are places here promoting shisha smoking. Some people do not know that they are actually exhaling tobacco, because some tobacco products used in shisha smoking do not have warning labels," said Dr Zulhilmi Abdullah, a Senior Medical Officer from the Health Education and Promotion Unit.

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• MoH To Implement Tobacco Order 2005 

This was stated by the Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Awg Suyoi, in his speech as guest of honour at the World No Tobacco Day launching ceremony held at The Mall in Gadong, yesterday.

According to the minister, the incidence of lung and bronchus cancer in Brunei had increased from 30 cases in 2003 to 56 cases in 2005.

This year's theme, which as chosen by World Health Organisation, is "100 per cent tobacco-free environment", while the slogan for this year's World No Tobacco Day is "Smoke-free inside - Create and Enjoy 100 per cent Smoke Free Environments".

"This theme gives attention for promoting an environment that is 100 per cent free from tobacco smoke in the most effective ways to protect the public from exposure to tobacco smoke," said the guest of honour.

"The Ministry of Health (MoH) in time to come will implement the Tobacco Order 2005 and its regulations. This order aims to protect the health of the citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam from the negative effects of tobacco usage and tobacco products," the Health Minister said.

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• Those Who Ignore 'No-Smoking' Signs, Advisories Face Prosecution 

Smokers who ignore "no smoking" signs and advisories in areas such as hospitals, restaurants and public buildings may be prosecuted once the Tobacco Order comes into effect by the first quarter or middle of this year, the Minister of Health said yesterday.

Responding to a query regarding the enforcement of non-smoking regulations in prohibited areas, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman in a committee session of the State Legislative Council said that the Tobacco Order had already been drafted and most regulations under it had been prepared.

These include the Tobacco Licensing of Importers, Wholesalers and Retailers and Tobacco Prohibition in certain places, among others.

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• People welcome new Tobacco Order 

MEMBERS of the public have supported the Ministry of Health's plan to prosecute smokers who ignore no-smoking signs in restricted areas.

The new ruling is set to come into effect under the Tobacco Order by the first quarter or middle of this year, following Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Suyoi Osman, the Minister of Health's comment on unheeded "no-smoking" signs in public places.

The Tobacco Order also includes the possibility of appropriate action that may be taken to reduce shisha-smoking or even a ban on the popular pastime.

Shafee Said, an International School Brunei student, believes that the problem can be tackled by setting up smoking areas or rooms.

"I think they should put up smoking rooms like they have in other countries. The shisha trend is growing in Brunei. I don't think a ban on the activity would matter much ," said the 18-year-old.

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