Thimphu: The WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia is organizing a meeting of National Tobacco Control Programme Managers from the 11 Member States in the Region to review implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Member States and discuss the protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products in preparation for the Fifth session of the Conference of the Parties. WHO recognizes Bhutan’s commitment to tobacco control and has applauded the country for effective prohibition of production, sale and trade of tobacco products.
Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death, killing over 1.3 million people in WHO’s South-East Asia Region. The Region has about 250 million smokers and nearly the same number of smokeless tobacco users. It is also one of the largest producers and users of tobacco products. There are different regulations for different types of tobacco products. Taxation for non-cigarette tobacco products is very low in most countries enabling the users to switch from one type of tobacco product to another. This makes it challenging for tobacco control advocates and public health professionals to promote tobacco control in the Region.
“Nine counties in WHO’s South-East Asia Region have adopted comprehensive tobacco control legislation”, said Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO’s Regional Director for South-East Asia. “Countries have established smoke-free public places and banned tobacco product advertisements. Pictorial health warnings are mandatory on packages of tobacco products in Thailand and India and other countries are in the process of adopting this practice. Several countries have also increased taxes on tobacco products. There is a need to integrate tobacco surveillance into national health systems,” he added.
The Bhutan Tobacco Control Act 2010 prohibits cultivation, harvest, manufacture, supply, distribution and sale of tobacco products. Smoking has been prohibited in public places since March 2005. Advertising of tobacco products through all national media channels has been banned since 1995. While tobacco use is not prohibited, smokers are required to use designated smoking areas. Cigarettes, pipe tobacco and other tobacco products can be imported into Bhutan for personal consumption, under a specified limit and cannot be imported for sale.