http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/country/asia-pacific.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://asianewsnetwork.feedsportal.com/c/33359/f/566601/s/1bc65e59/l/0L0Sasianewsnet0Bnet0Chome0Cnews0Bphp0Did0F26371/story01.htm http://tobacco.org/news/332034.html The third meeting of the ASEAN Focal Points on Tobacco Control (AFPTC) began yesterday with Brunei holding chairmanship of the three-day meeting to discuss developments and initiatives on activities to push forward a smoke-free ASEAN community. Some 30 participants, consisting of technical members of ASEAN countries and ASEAN Secretariat as well as delegations from partner organisations and international agencies, attended the opening ceremony of the meeting held at The Rizqun International Hotel at The Mall, Gadong yesterday. The AFPTC is a working group established in 2010 under the Health Cooperation Activities, ASEAN Socio-cultural Community Blueprint aimed at reviewing the status and progress of the Bi-annual work plan as well as the formulation of the subsequent work plan, centred around issues related to tobacco control. "Despite its age, it (AFPTC) has been very active in its activities of the bi-annual work plan. A number of these activities have been successfully carried out last year with more being planned for this year, said chairperson of the meeting, Dr Hjh Anie Haryani Hj Abd Rahman during the opening ceremony. Asia News Network Asia-pacific Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news22826.html http://tobacco.org/news/330755.html Whenever governments want to collect more revenues, their reflex action is to raise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, the so-called "sin taxes," because both are harmful to human health. The Philippines is no exception. Two bills have been filed in both houses of Congress that will raise local cigarette taxes by 83 percent. Local cigarette manufacturers say, however, that the street price may go much higher. After cigarettes, alcohol will be next. The government expects an increase of revenue from cigarettes. But it doesn't always end up that way, as other countries that also raised sin taxes have discovered. On the contrary, their revenue collections actually went down in spite of the higher taxes. Why? Because of smuggling. When the prices of local products go up too high, smugglers come in with their cheaper products. Do you still remember the time when smuggled blue-seal cigarettes flooded the Philippine market some years ago and smugglers became filthy rich? Cigarette smuggling is now rampant in Malaysia and Singapore which had raised their taxes on cigarettes. They have both suffered revenue shortfalls because of the smuggling. The Philippines is even more vulnerable to smuggling because it has very porous borders, being an archipelago where smugglers can land their illicit products on numerous islands and islets. The main source of counterfeit cigarettes, which are smuggled to countries with high tobacco taxes, is Fujian's Yunxiao County in Mainland China. It is currently dumping billions of fake cigarettes into countries with high tobacco taxes. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) reported that Yunxiao County produces half of China's estimated output of 400 billion sticks of fake cigarettes a year. Whats On Xiamen editor@whatsonxiamen.com China Philippines Asia-pacific Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20111014-305046.html http://tobacco.org/news/327572.html The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat has put forward initiatives toward a "smoke-free ASEAN", lending much needed impetus to regional efforts to curb tobacco use in Southeast Asia. Around 60 key ASEAN Secretariat officials and staff joined the orientation seminar on the 'Hazards of Tobacco Use and Exposure to Tobacco Smoke" officiated by ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan. According to Dr Pitsuwan: "Tobacco use has become a health crisis but it is a crisis that is preventable; it is a crisis that needs tremendous attention and cooperation among all Member States and partners." Other officials from the WHO Indonesia, Ministry of Health Indonesia and the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) provided technical input to the objective of the seminar to support regional efforts to arrest smoking and its toxic effects on individuals and society. AsiaOne klim@sph.com.sg Indonesia Asia-pacific Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=20698 http://tobacco.org/news/327466.html Jakarta Environmental Management (BPLHD) asked Inasoc, as SEA Games management to exclude cigarette advertisement in SEA Games XXVI, especially in Jakarta. Therefore, Jakarta BPLHD has sent a letter to Inasoc regarding the request. Moreover, similar rule was also applied in previous SEA Games event. As we know, this year SEA Games will be held in two cities, Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatera starting from November 11-22. Ridwan Panjaitan as Head of Law Enforcement Sector, Jakarta BPLHD hoped there will be no more cigarette advertisement in SEA Games event. “We give this advice to Inasoc because our Bylaw has not delivered to sponsors. So far, Jakarta restricts gold triangle area (Kuningan, Jl MH Thamrin and Jl Jenderal Sudirman) free from cigarette billboards,” he explained in City Hall, Thursday (10/13). He mentioned that smoking prohibition should also be applied by the athletes, officials, referees, spectators as well as security officers in the competition area. beritajakarta.com redaksi@beritajakarta.com Indonesia Asia-pacific Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=115945&sid=34023933&con_type=3 http://tobacco.org/news/327328.html United Nations health chief Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, has come out fighting against tobacco giants, urging Asian governments not to be cowed by the industry but instead maintain life-saving efforts against smoking. Big tobacco's efforts to subvert the World Health Organization's framework convention on tobacco control "are now out in the open and extremely aggressive," WHO director general Chan said. The former Hong Kong health official was speaking at yesterday's opening of the 62nd regional committee meeting of WHO Western Pacific, which includes the SAR and the mainland. Chan recounted how firms have filed lawsuits. One target, she noted, is Australia, the first nation to legislate for plain cigarette packets to hit marketing efforts. Such dirty tactics "are deliberately designed to instil fear in other countries wishing to introduce similarly tough tobacco control measures," she said. . . . Urging WHO members to unite in anti-smoking efforts and back ideas like Australia's on packaging, Chan added: "It is horrific to think that an industry known for its dirty tricks and dirty laundry could be allowed to trump what is clearly in the public's best interest." Hong Kong Standard feedback@thestandard.com.hk ( Mary Ann Benitez in Manila) Hong Kong Philippines Asia-pacific Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/who-chief-slams-tobacco-industry-tactics/story-e6frfku0-1226163323603 http://tobacco.org/news/327319.html THE World Health Organization's chief has urged governments to unite against "big tobacco", accusing the industry of dirty tricks, bullying and immorality in its quest to keep people smoking. WHO director-general Margaret Chan accused cashed-up tobacco firms of using lawsuits to try and subvert national laws and international conventions aimed at curbing cigarette sales. "It is horrific to think that an industry known for its dirty tricks and dirty laundry could be allowed to trump what is clearly in the public's best interests," Chan said at a WHO meeting in the Philippine capital today. Chan cited legal actions by the tobacco industry against anti-smoking measures in Australia and Uruguay, saying these were "scare tactics" intended to frighten other countries from following suit. "It is hard for any country to bear the financial burden of this kind of litigation, but most especially so for small countries," she said. "Big tobacco can afford to hire the best lawyers and PR firms that money can buy. Big money can speak louder than any moral, ethical or public health argument and can trample even the most damning scientific evidence." Chan called on the countries at the forum of Western Pacific nations to fight back. Agence France Presse Philippines Asia-pacific Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.seatca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1008:sampoerna-stoops-to-a-new-low-in-tobacco-marketing-260811&catid=127:newsflash http://tobacco.org/news/325509.html The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) condemns PT Sampoerna’s latest advertisement in Indonesia which brings cigarette marketing to a new low. The billboard advertisement says: “Dying is better than leaving a friend; Sampoerna is a cool friend”. This is an irresponsible advertisement and the Philip Morris International (PMI)-owned company must be held accountable for its despicable lack of sensibility. SEATCA Director Ms. Bungon Ritthiphakdee said: “It is very irresponsible to say such a horrible thing, especially as the aim is just to sell cigarettes. First of all, it is ludicrous to call a hazardous product that kills half its users a ‘friend’. It is simply despicable for PT Sampoerna to trash the Indonesian people in this manner. ” Clearly this advertisement is directed at young people. About 12 percent of Indonesia’s youth aged 13-15 years, smoke cigarettes (boys at 24 percent and girls at 2 percent). Nearly 70 percent of smokers started smoking before the age of 19. Among the ASEAN countries, Indonesia has the largest number of smokers, 57million. Every year more than 200,000 people die from smoking related diseases in Indonesia. PT Sampoerna put up its new billboard advertisement during Ramadan which is a time when Muslims smoke less. It appears PT Sampoerna has strange ideas about how Ramadan should be spent – with its cigarettes. This is an insult to the Muslims in Indonesia. Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance Indonesia Asia-pacific Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.interaksyon.com/article/11779/tobacco-ads-dying-better-than-leaving-friend-pitch-scored http://tobacco.org/news/325452.html Saying it was an ad that obviously played with young people's emotions, the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) is seeking the dismantling of ads by Indonesian tobacco firm PT Sampoerna that, it said, "brings cigarette marketing to a new low." The billboard advertisement says: "Dying is better than leaving a friend; Sampoerna is a cool friend". This, said SEATCA, is an "irresponsible advertisement and the Philip Morris International (PMI)-owned company must be held accountable for its despicable lack of sensibility." SEATCA Director Ms. Bungon Ritthiphakdee said: "It is very irresponsible to say such a horrible thing, especially as the aim is just to sell cigarettes. First of all, it is ludicrous to call a hazardous product that kills half its users a 'friend'. It is simply despicable for PT Sampoerna to trash the Indonesian people in this manner. " InterAksyon.com Indonesia Asia-pacific Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=349008&story_id=18486173 http://tobacco.org/news/323404.html South-East Asia looks the most promising over the coming decade. Within this region, Indonesia (population 238m) and the Philippines (about 96m) are the golden geese. Indonesia, one of the world's least regulated markets, is one of few Asian countries not to have ratified the World Health Organisation's treaty on tobacco control. Cigarette advertising is rampant. One in four children aged 13-15 smokes. Last year, a YouTube video of a chain-smoking Indonesian two-year-old prompted outrage among health-lobby groups in the West. Growing and selling tobacco contributes perhaps 10% of the Indonesian government's revenues and provides millions of jobs. Roger Quarles, president of the International Tobacco Growers' Association, points out that one of the government's main goals is that "those people stay employed, even if it's at low education levels," in part to avoid public disorder. So, Mr Quarles reckons, a crackdown on the industry is highly unlikely in Indonesia. The biggest Western firms are diving in. Philip Morris International (PMI) bought Indonesia's Sampoerna for $5 billion in 2005, and now controls 30% of the market; the firm says it is "optimistic" about its prospects in the region. British American Tobacco bought an 85% stake in Bentoel for nearly $500m in 2009. Both companies saw sales volumes increase in Indonesia last year--mainly for kretek clove cigarettes, which account for over 90% of the Indonesian market. . . . Tobacco firms see growth potential in the region's low rate of women smokers (see chart). Across South-East Asia fewer than one in ten women smoke, compared with about 40-70% of men. The Economist Indonesia Asia-pacific Tue, 31 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/health/news/article_1649945.php/WHO-urges-Asia-Pacific-to-boost-health-warnings-on-cigarettes http://tobacco.org/news/323057.html The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday urged Asia-Pacific countries to boost the use of graphic health warnings on cigarette packs. WHO regional director for the Western Pacific Dr Shin Young Soo said many developing countries have not yet started to put pictures of diseased organs or bold health warnings on their cigarette packs. 'People have a fundamental right to information about the harm that tobacco does, and countries have an obligation to provide it,' he said in a statement marking the release of a WHO report examining the status of global tobacco control. The report showed that only 19 administrations in the world have implemented graphic health warnings on cigarette packs. Monsters and Critics Asia-pacific Fri, 08 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/press_releases/pr20110318.htm http://tobacco.org/news/319011.html In response to the rising tide of lifestyle-related diseases, a dozen World Health Organization (WHO) Member States today endorsed the Seoul Declaration on Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Control in the Western Pacific Region. The declaration calls on all Member States to sustain political support for efforts to combat the most common noncommunicable diseases—cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory conditions and diabetes—which together are responsible for four out of every five deaths in the Western Pacific. The document, which was endorsed on the final day today of a Regional High-level Meeting on Scaling up Multisectoral Action on Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Control, also calls on WHO Member States to work to reduce the four major risk factors that contribute to noncommunicable diseases: tobacco use; diets high in fats, salt and sugar; the harmful use of alcohol; and physical inactivity. . . . Tobacco use alone claims 3000 lives in the Western Pacific Region every single day, according to the latest WHO estimates. Those estimates also indicate that 15% of all deaths among males 15 to 44 in the Region can be attributed to alcohol. World Health Organization varghesec@wpro.who.int Korea - South Asia-pacific Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2933368 http://tobacco.org/news/319007.html the world is facing a new kind of pandemic. Cases of noncommunicable diseases - such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory aliments and diabetes - are rising rapidly and now afflict every country in the world. In the Western Pacific region - home to nearly 1.8 billion people - these lifestyle-related diseases are responsible for four out of every five deaths. Of those, nearly 30,000 people die every day due to diseases that can and should be prevented. Tobacco alone claims 3,000 lives in the Western Pacific region every single day . . . We should not fool ourselves into thinking that the problem is too big or too complicated. In the Western Pacific region we’ve seen real progress in controlling tobacco, one of the major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. All the countries in this region have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and now have laws designed to reduce tobacco consumption. As a result, many countries in the Western Pacific are reporting declines in smoking prevalence. We need to mount similar campaigns against unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and other noncommunicable disease risks. We know what needs to be done. Now we have to do it. Joong Ang Ilbo Korea - South Asia-pacific Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.who.int/nmh/events/2011/korea/en/index.html http://tobacco.org/news/319004.html WHO staged this regional high-level meeting for Western Pacific Member States to prepare for the UN General Assembly High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of NCDs. In the Western Pacific region - home to nearly 1.8 billion people - these lifestyle-related diseases are responsible for four out of every five deaths. Of those, nearly 30,000 people die every day due to diseases that can and should be prevented. The meeting produced the Seoul Declaration that provides a firm commitment to tackle the problem at the highest level of government. World Health Organization Korea - South Asia-pacific Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/who_we_are/wilkenfeld_award/ http://tobacco.org/news/318604.html The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is pleased to announce the winner of the 2011 Judy Wilkenfeld Award for International Tobacco Control Excellence, E. Ulysses "Yul" Dorotheo. Dr. Dorotheo is a neuro-ophthalmologist, who has been a tobacco control advocate for over ten years. Beginning as a volunteer and after co-founding the FCTC Alliance, Philippines (FCAP), he actively participated as a non-governmental observer in the early negotiations for the FCTC. In 2006, he joined the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) as its FCTC Program Manager and the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) as its Regional Coordinator for ASEAN and the Western Pacific, roles he jointly performed till 2009. Since 2010, he has been project director for SEATCA's Southeast Asia Initiative on Tobacco Tax, a five-year project aimed primarily at raising tobacco taxes and prices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Asia Asia-pacific Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.economist.com/node/18486173?story_id=18486173&fsrc=rss http://tobacco.org/news/317573.html STRICT regulation and the success of anti-smoking campaigns continue to hit tobacco firms’ revenues in rich countries. In the biggest developing countries—China and India—governments are keen to protect local firms from Western cigarette-makers. That leaves Big Tobacco with few large markets that have growth potential and a relative lack of regulation. And of these, South-East Asia looks the most promising over the coming decade. Within this region, Indonesia (population 238m) and the Philippines (about 96m) are the golden geese. Indonesia, one of the world’s least regulated markets, is one of few Asian countries not to have ratified the World Health Organisation’s treaty on tobacco control. Cigarette advertising is rampant. One in four children aged 13-15 smokes. Last year, a YouTube video of a chain-smoking Indonesian two-year-old prompted outrage among health-lobby groups in the West. Growing and selling tobacco contributes perhaps 10% of the Indonesian government’s revenues and provides millions of jobs. Roger Quarles, president of the International Tobacco Growers’ Association, points out that one of the government’s main goals is that “those people stay employed . . . The biggest Western firms are diving in. Philip Morris International (PMI) bought Indonesia’s Sampoerna . . . British American Tobacco bought an 85% stake in Bentoel . . . Tobacco firms see growth potential in the region’s low rate of women smokers (see chart). Across South-East Asia fewer than one in ten women smoke The Economist Asia Asia-pacific Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:00:00 GMT