WHO urges all countries to ban smoking in public places

On the occasion of World No Smoking Day 31-5, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on all countries to issue a ban on smoking in closed public places, considering it a job. Particularly important and urgent to protect human health.

In a statement from Geneva on May 30, WHO Director Margaret Chan said there was a lot of clear scientific evidence about the potential risk of secondhand smoke for passive smokers. She called on countries that have not yet issued the ban to quickly issue a law to ban smoking completely in closed public places.

WHO estimates that nearly 200,000 workers die each year from passive smoking in the workplace; Nearly 700 million children (half of all children worldwide) often have to breathe in the smoke-polluted atmosphere, especially in their homes.

A pedestrian passed the anti-smoking symbol at the Potsdamer Platz station in Berlin, Germany.On May 25, the German lower house passed a bill banning smoking on public transport and at federal offices (Photo: AFP)

WHO and the US Center for Disease Control have jointly conducted a study in 132 countries, the results show that nearly 44% of 13-15 year olds "reluctantly" become passive smokers within family, and 56% in public places. The 6-year study also showed that most teenagers (more than three-quarters) support the ban on smoking in public places.

In 2004, Ireland became the first country in the world to enforce a nationwide ban on smoking in closed public places such as restaurants, clubs, subway stations. Later, several other countries, including Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Uruguay, issued similar decisions.

The Chinese government has banned smoking on public transport, but still allows at many other public places such as restaurants. The Chinese Ministry of Health has asked cities to host the 2008 World Games to implement a plan to not smoke during the conference to implement a " Blue Olympics ".

Anti-smoking campaigns are getting more and more attention when there are 5 million people die from tobacco every year in the world. According to WHO, there are about 650 million smokers in the world and half of them may die from tobacco-borne diseases.

With the theme "Tobacco: The murderer of publicity or latent", this year's World No Smoking Day aims to raise people's awareness of the dangers of tobacco on people and the need to manage tobacco products.

In addition to the harmful effects on health, tobacco also causes tremendous economic losses, reducing productivity and reducing the labor force in countries.