Fewer smokers now
The number of Thai smokers has fallen by nearly 40 per cent in the past 20 years as a result of strict enforcement of seven anti-smoking laws and effective awareness campaigns, Public Health Ministry deputy permanent secretary Manit Theeratantikanont said yesterday.
There are now 9.54 million people aged 15 years or older who smoke daily, compared with 11.7 million smokers in 1987. Of the 9.54 million current smokers, 4.5 million are chain smokers and suffer from lung cancer and related diseases, he added. On World No Tobacco Day on Thursday, the Health Ministry will focus on curbing second-hand smoke and raising awareness about its harmful effects, in line with the World Health Organisa-tion's (WHO) theme for this year. Local campaigns will include strengthening measures of all seven anti-smoking laws, Manit told a Bangkok seminar heralding the ministry's anti-smoking campaigns. WHO's global motto for the No Tobacco Day this year is "100% Smoke-Free Environments: Create and Enjoy" while the ministry's message is "Without cigarette smoke, the environment is good and life is fresh and clear". HRH Princess Somsawali will preside over Thursday's No Tobacco Day events at MBK Centre in Pathum Wan from 11am to 7pm. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will jointly enforce more no-smoking zones in public areas in Bangkok, especially in Chatuchak Market and other BMA-regulated marketplaces. There are now 18 "quit smoking" clinics in BMA-run public health centres across the capital. Of the 1,915 smokers who sought assistance from the clinics, 815 managed to quit, according to the BMA, which has been operating the centres for two years. Duangkamon Sajirawattanakul The Nation
|
