Stop illegal trade in tobacco products, global health body urges nations

CAIRO: On World No Tobacco Day, May 31, the World Health Organisation, WHO, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is calling on countries to stop the illicit trade of tobacco products, by committing to, and becoming party to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

"Ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to the Protocol is the starting point to saving lives lost to tobacco," says WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Ala Alwan.

Tobacco use kills nearly six million people every year, including the 600, 000 who are killed by the effects of exposure to second-hand smoke. Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cancer, lung diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Negative health impacts are associated with the use of all types of tobacco, including cigarettes, waterpipes and smokeless tobacco. The adverse health effects of tobacco use are also experienced by non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke. Long-term exposure to second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer, coronary heart disease and respiratory problems, a statement issued by the WHO said.

"Tobacco use in many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is very high," adds Dr Alwan, "with up to 36 per cent of adolescents (13-15 years) and 32 per cent of adults (15 years and older) using tobacco. The illicit trade of tobacco products increases tobacco use among youth and other age groups".

Every year, governments lose US$40.5 billion in revenue from the illicit trade of tobacco products. In some countries, illicit trade can reach as high as 40-50% of the overall tobacco market.

"Our countries are at risk," says Dr Alwan, "as the illicit tobacco trade is more prominent in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries".

While cigarettes remain by far the most frequent illicit tobacco products, in just one year, the amount of smuggled smokeless tobacco seized has risen from eight to 38 tonnes. Shisha tobacco seizures rose from 69 to 75 tonnes - unprecedented increases from 2012 to 2013.

Eliminating the illicit trade would gain governments at least US$31.3 billion every year, and from 2030 onwards more than 164 000 premature deaths every year would be avoided, the vast majority in middle- and low-income countries.

Analyses have shown that high levels of illicit tobacco products are linked more closely to corruption and tolerance of contraband sales.

The global trade in illicit tobacco products occurs in low tax as well as high tax jurisdictions, results from a lack of control on cigarette manufacturing and the movement of cigarettes across international borders, and is run by criminal organizations with sophisticated systems for distributing smuggled cigarettes. Illicit trade is more common in low-income than in high-income countries.

This Protocol to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is the first international legal instrument that provides countries with guidance on political, technical and international collaboration, needed to eliminate the illicit trade in tobacco products.

"Eliminating the illicit trade of tobacco products," explains WHO Regional Director Dr Alwan, "will increase tobacco product prices, lower consumption, reduce premature deaths, and increase government revenues. Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products is the starting point.''

source: http://gulftoday.ae/