Prof Rishi Sethi said that "The WHO data shows that most of the deaths will happen from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and tobacco is one of the modifiable risk factors to prevent this. Any modification in tobacco consumption and smoking patterns will have a direct effect on CVDs and mortality related to it. Oral tobacco consumption, alone, without any other cardio vascular risk factors, leads to acute coronary syndrome (as is evident from data of 170 of my patients). US Surgeon General's report of 2014 states that reduction in smoking prevalence over the past 50 years, from 50% to 20.5% in men and from 33% to 15.3% in women, is one of the major factors for decline in CVDs in USA." USA has not ratified the FCTC but implementing evidence-based tobacco control measures are saving lives.
Asia Pacific puts tobacco and development in spotlight
During 12-15 September 2018, Indonesia will host the 12th Asia Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health (12th APACT) - an important opportunity to learn why tobacco control is vital for progressing on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All countries in the Asia Pacific region as well as in the world have promised to deliver on SDGs by 2030.
Dr Nurul Luntungan, Secretary General of 12th APACT was also on the webinar panel of experts. Dr Nurul stressed on how implementation of tobacco control in Indonesia is facing lot of challenges from tobacco industry. Indonesia has not yet ratified the global tobacco treaty (WHO FCTC) but there has been appreciable progress in advancing tobacco control-for instance the price of cigarettes has been hiked, smokefree laws and pictorial graphic health warnings on tobacco packs are in place since 5 years. Increasing number of districts in Indonesia are banning tobacco advertising. "Tobacco industry is very powerful in this country. So it requires much more commitment from the people, from civil society and from the government at sub-national level to advance public health measures for tobacco control" she said.
Indonesia has not yet ratified the global tobacco treaty but it has committed to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Implementing the global tobacco treaty is clearly enshrined in the SDGs as a strategy to achieve the global goals for sustainable development, said Dr Nurul Luntungan.
UNGA and UNHLMs must prioritize #NoTobacco
Tobacco indeed is a threat to development. As aptly emphasised by the WHO, in addition to saving lives, tobacco control can break the cycle of poverty, contribute to ending hunger, promote sustainable agriculture and economic growth, and combat climate change. no wonder tobacco control is intrinsically embedded in the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 of leaving no one behind. The 73rd UN General Assembly, as well as the forthcoming UNHLMs to #endTB and #beatNCDs, simply cannot ignore tobacco control, as it is so integral to their agendas.
Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
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