Tobacco.org

AUDIO: Advertising syndicate weigh in on draft tobacco law 

The Lebanese Syndicate of Advertising Agencies and the International Advertising Association (IAA)) asked the Parliamentary Administration and Justice Commission on Wednesday to take their demands into consideration while discussing a law to limit tobacco smoking. The two associations said the draft law prohibited advertising for tobacco products and this would harm the advertising sector in terms of reducing employment and profits. They added that it would also harm merchants, restaurants, hotels and night clubs that sell tobacco.They then asked the commission to consider alternative steps in combating smoking, such as raising the price of tobacco products first then censoring tobacco advertisements and not abolishing them. They also demanded that they be kept included in all discussions

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AUDIO: Draft law to ban tobacco advertisement approved 

Parliament's Administration and Justice Committee approved a draft law on Wednesday banning all advertisements that promote tobacco products. The committee also approved banning smoking in public places, especially indoor spaces, and approved placing a label, which covers almost half of any cigarette pack, to warn against smoking. The

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YOUNG: A smoking ban? Fine, but only with choice 

Never put it beyond Lebanon to adopt a terrible idea just because it arrives from abroad. The country is now debating whether to impose a smoking ban in public places, and anti-smoking groups can smell blood.

The Middle East was always considered resistant to such an innovation. However, last year both Syria and Turkey, countries with high percentages of smokers in the population, banned smoking inside public facilities, and Lebanese parliamentarians have said they would discuss a smoking ban in the coming months. Oddly, one of those who announced this was Atef Majdalani, doctor, but also a committed cigar smoker.

I share Majdalani’s fervor... but only when it comes to Cohibas. . . .

But the authorities in most countries never allow choice, and their favoring the rights of non-smokers over smokers is to a large extent the result of the smoking-ban activists’ ability to inject moralism into their arguments. “If you light up in my presence,” the non-smokers will intone, “you are killing me.” But if that is true, then surely there are many other similar examples of unintentional homicide. When I start my car, am I not also contributing to someone’s early demise? . . .

But there is a more pernicious side to the non-smoking argument that very much leads to potential intrusion into people’s lives: that by lighting up, smokers increase health costs across society, therefore non-smokers have the right to protest the actions of smokers. If we follow this rationale, though, we might soon find that any activity deemed “unhealthy”, such as drinking one glass too many, overeating, or even cooking with butter rather than margarine, becomes fair game for health missionaries.

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Your freedom ends where my nose begins 

In an editorial published in NOW Lebanon last week, Michael Young considered Lebanon’s possible adoption of a public smoking ban “a terrible idea” just because it arrives from abroad. That smoking bans save lives is a fact supported by unequivocal scientific evidence, and it is a “terrible idea” that is endorsed by 168 countries, including Lebanon, representing more than 86% of the world’s population.

Unlike what was suggested by Mr. Young, most smoking bans are anything but universal, and one would be hard pressed to find a place where an “absolutist argument” won out. . . .

Mr. Young also expressed his support to “give people a choice”, using the same “courtesy of choice” argument that Philip Morris began in the US in 1993 under its Accommodation Program, which is still in use in one recycled form or another by the tobacco industry, especially in developing countries. Exposure to second-hand smoke is not a nuisance subject to courtesy, but literally a matter of health, life and death. . . .

As for Lebanon, a study recently conducted with experts from Harvard University measured second-hand smoke levels at 28 Lebanese restaurants and cafés, revealing, shockingly, that the mean exposure to second-hand smoke was well above the level considered “hazardous” by World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines, and is among the highest in the world. . . .

We should strive for the betterment of health in our society and uphold fundamental human rights. If that calls for the ban of smoking in all indoor public places, then we shall work toward that to save both ourselves and our children from the cycle of death and misery created by the tobacco epidemic.

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YOUNG: A smoking ban? Fine, but only with choice 

Never put it beyond Lebanon to adopt a terrible idea just because it arrives from abroad. The country is now debating whether to impose a smoking ban in public places, and anti-smoking groups can smell blood.

The Middle East was always considered resistant to such an innovation. However, last year both Syria and Turkey, countries with high percentages of smokers in the population, banned smoking inside public facilities, and Lebanese parliamentarians have said they would discuss a smoking ban in the coming months. Oddly, one of those who announced this was Atef Majdalani, doctor, but also a committed cigar smoker.

I share Majdalani’s fervor... but only when it comes to Cohibas. The debate over second-hand smoke is often passionate, and in many respects it has already been won by the non-smokers. However, as Lebanon considers the possibility of a ban, the real question should be a different one. Should a smoking ban be universal, or should it permit choice?

In virtually all countries it is the absolutist argument that has won out. . . .

But there is a more pernicious side to the non-smoking argument that very much leads to potential intrusion into people’s lives: that by lighting up, smokers increase health costs across society, therefore non-smokers have the right to protest the actions of smokers. If we follow this rationale, though, we might soon find that any activity deemed “unhealthy”, such as drinking one glass too many, overeating, or even cooking with butter rather than margarine, becomes fair game for health missionaries.

This is an exaggeration, you say; but the reality is that in recent decades individual health habits have come to be judged by others with insufferable intolerance. A person who fails to exercise or who delights in fatty foods is frequently the target of jokes, or just quiet contempt. In some places overweight passengers can now be banned from flights, because taking up too much room is deemed legitimately punishable. In many homes in the West people don’t serve spirits anymore, with dinner party guests being made to stand around daintily sipping wine.

Thank heavens that Lebanon is too undisciplined a place to ever plummet to such depths. Because of that, let’s do something different before imposing a smoking ban. Let’s give people a choice. The innate pluralism of the Lebanese makes that approach the most sensible.

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• Lebanon may follow anti-smoking trend  

Now Lebanon, a country with one of the highest smoking rates in the world, has began to seriously consider the idea, with anti-smoking campaigners pushing for bans on cigarette ads and smoking in public areas.

Anti-smoking activists aren't the only ones pushing for changes in tobacco control here; so are some bar and restaurant owners. A growing number of establishments have started to cater to nonsmoking clients by offering nonsmoking seating areas and smoke-free nights.

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AUB academics: New law on tobacco control should adopt strong provisions and contain no loopholes 

Lebanon should adopt a strong tobacco control law to protect its citizens, especially its children, from health hazards, said AUB academics and members of the Lebanese civil society, during a press conference in which they announced their position vis-à-vis a draft law on tobacco control, currently being studied by Lebanese parliamentarians.

The conference was held at AUB to an overflow audience of academics, media representatives and members of civil society. MP Ismail Sukkariyyeh and Dr. Walid Ammar, the director-general of the Ministry of Health also attended the news conference.

Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), Iman Nuwayhid, opened the conference saying:

"Academic and research institutions have a big role to play in positively influencing policy-making." . . .

"We need total bans of smoking in closed/indoor public places, since designated areas for smoking have been scientifically proven to be ineffective in protecting the health of people," said Rima Nakkash, assistant research professor at the AUB Faculty of Health Sciences and coordinator of the AUB Tobacco Control Research Group.

"Secondly, a total ban on advertising AND promotion of tobacco is essential. This includes bans on sponsorship, sale of branded items, and distribution of free samples, since they target youth mostly. Finally, the new law should call for large-sized, rotating health warnings with clear pictures, in line with the FCTC international treaty."

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KARM: In Beirut, something for the weekend that really smokes 

I do not have the figures to hand but we are among the heaviest, if not the heaviest, smokers per capita in the world. (The Cypriots claim to smoke a lot, but I have never noticed it.) Riad Salameh, the governor of the Lebanese central bank, is a famous puffer, the prime minister Saad Hariri is also known to partake.

The list of high-profile Lebanese who spark up is endless and the message simple: the rest of the world might have moved on from such unhealthy and anti-social decadence, but in Lebanon a cigar still conveys power, sophistication and affluence.

It helps that Lebanon is a great place to smoke, because, like most of Lebanese life, there are no boundaries.

Cigar smokers will often puff away throughout dinner at restaurants without caring a jot for their fellow diners. . . .

Cynics like me, who scoffed upon hearing of a smoking ban, were reminded by earnest anti-smoking advocates of a similar edict in Gaza that has been in place since December 15.

Quite how successful this ban has been is still unclear, as one would have felt the long-term effects of tobacco inhalation would not be a priority in a city that is constantly levelled by the Israeli air force. Still, good on Hamas for trying.

Staying with health concerns, if you believe World Health Organisation statistics, the Lebanese are on average more likely to die from smoking related illnesses (3,000 per year) than from road accidents (600 per year).

I am not convinced and I defy anyone, especially those who have gone toe-to-toe with the grim reaper on Lebanon's apocalyptic road network, to tell me that implementing a smoking ban is more urgent than tightening up traffic laws.

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AUDIO: Anti-smoking activists push for comprehensive ban 

Health and university officials on Thursday reiterated the need for comprehensive tobacco control legislation as parliamentarians continue to debate a draft law. Rather than adopt "half measures," Parliament must enact a total ban on smoking in indoor public places, halt advertising and sponsorship by the tobacco industry, and issue large graphic health warnings on tobacco products, said members of the American University of Beirut's Tobacco Control Research Group (AUB-TCRG).

The Parliamentary Committee for Administration and Justice has held regular meetings in recent weeks to discuss adopting a proposed tobacco control law. But the draft "is not as comprehensive as we'd want," said AUB-TCRG coordinator Rima Nakkash, as it only calls for a partial ban on smoking and fails to stipulate the need for graphic warnings or a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.

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AUB team gets funding to help research control of tobacco use 

The American University of Beirut Tobacco Control Research Group (AUB -TCRG) received a two-year grant of $198,258 from the International Development Research Center-Research for International Tobacco Control (IDRC-RITC) to support tobacco control research, dissemination and networking in Lebanon and the region, a university statement said on Tuesday.

Housed in the Faculty of Health Sciences' Center for Research on Population and Health and led by assistant professor Rima Nakkash, the project will use the grant to support the dissemination of information at the local level, the translation of its findings into policy, and the development of a tobacco control regional research network.

At the local level, research will build support for policy change. Dissemination, with the support of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs will, for example, target the public on the effects of narghileh smoking on health, and policy makers on best practice for tobacco control policies in order to contribute, potentially, toward moving the policy debate to the forefront of the national agenda.

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Lebanese Tobacco Regie throws dinner party for retired staff 

BEIRUT: Retired employees of the Lebanese Tobacco Regie were honored on Friday with a splendid dinner party at the Coral Beach Hotel, the sumptuous food augmented by a pair of tempestuous tango dancers and a fine fiddler. Among the esteemed company were Hanan Sabra, Hanna Yamout, Maher Salam and Maya Deeb.

For more Star Scene coverage, check our new website at http://starscene.dailystar.com.lb

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Grant received by the AUB Tobacco Control Research Group 

The AUB Tobacco Control Research Group (AUB -TCRG) has just received a two-year grant of $198,258 (US) from the International Development Research Center-Research for International Tobacco Control (IDRC-RITC) to support tobacco control research, dissemination, and networking in Lebanon and the region.

Housed in the Faculty of Health Sciences's Center for Research on Population and Health and led by Assistant Professor Rima Nakkash, the project will use the grant to support the dissemination of information on the local level, the translation of its findings into policy, and the development of a tobacco control regional research network.

At the local level, research will build support for policy change. Dissemination, with the support of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs will, for example, target lay persons on the effects of narghile smoking on health, and policy makers on best evidence for tobacco control policies in order to contribute, potentially, towards moving policy debate to the forefront of the national agenda.

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• Researchers at AUB: Law banning smoking in closed public areas will improve health and business 

Restaurant workers and patrons in Lebanon are being exposed to hazardous levels of tobacco smoke, thus prompting researchers and business owners at an AUB conference to call for complete smoking bans in closed public areas.

Organized by the AUB Tobacco Control Research Group and funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre, the conference, held on November 17, 2009 at Gefinor-Rotana Hotel, assessed smoke-free policies in indoor areas at four educational institutions, five private offices and companies, and nine food and drink establishments. The conference also presented the findings of a 2008 air quality survey of 28 different venues in Lebanon--including restaurants, pubs, and hospital cafeterias--conducted by the National Tobacco Control Program at the Ministry of Health.

"More than 90 percent of the venues surveyed had unhealthy to hazardous air quality," said George Saade, who heads the program. Saade, who is also a cardiologist, said that in several venues, especially in Ramadan tents that fog up with nargileh smoke, the aerosol monitor they used would lock, indicating air pollutant levels higher than the maximum measurable level--or 400 times higher than acceptable levels set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. . . .

Nakkash and others concluded, based on the findings, that there is a pressing need for a law that bans smoking in public areas in addition to a body that would ensure the enforcement of the law.

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• Researchers at AUB: Law banning smoking in closed public areas will improve health and business 

Restaurant workers and patrons in Lebanon are being exposed to hazardous levels of tobacco smoke, thus prompting researchers and business owners at an AUB conference to call for complete smoking bans in closed public areas.

Organized by the AUB Tobacco Control Research Group, the conference, which was recently held in Gefinor-Rotana Hotel, assessed smoke-free policies in indoor areas at four educational institutions, five private offices and companies, and nine food and drink establishments. The conference also presented the findings of a 2008 air quality survey at 28 different venues in Lebanon—including restaurants, pubs, and hospital cafeterias—which was conducted by the National Tobacco Control Program at the Ministry of Health.

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• VIDEO: A smoke-free Lebanon: Reality or pipedream?  

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

* Lebanon has one of the highest smoking rates in the world, according to WHO

* No minimum age to buy cigarettes; 65 percent of 13-15 year old boys smoke

* Anti-smoking guru Dr G Saade says patients with smoking-related diseases getting younger

* Lebanese unlikely to give up the weed easily as they associate smoking with freedom . . .

In restaurants and cafes, on the streets, in the airport and even in elevators, Lebanese delight in lighting up. The World Health Organization (WHO) says Lebanon has one of the highest smoking rates in the world.

"We are a tobacco-friendly society," says cardiologist Dr. Georges Saade, a former WHO official who now heads the Tobacco Control Project at Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health.

Dr. Saade is a committed anti-smoking campaigner and for years he's fought an uphill battle for funding to increase awareness of the risks of smoking.

The ministry estimates that if attitudes towards smoking don't change, this small nation of four million will experience at least 3,000 tobacco-related deaths each year.

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