Tobacco Or Health Conference Ends With United vision Towards Tobacco-Free World

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah SINGAPORE, March 24 (Bernama) -- The five-day 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) concluded here Saturday with a united vision towards a tobacco-free world. Some of the world's leading names in tobacco control were at the conference along with 2,600 delegates, experts and policy-makers from over 100 countries. Commending Singapore Health Promotion Board (HPB) for organising the conference, Dr Margaret Chan, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, said: "The alliances that were formed here, the information and resources that were shared, have galvanised the global tobacco control movement." "I am sure I speak for all the participants that when we leave, we are better prepared and able to work for full implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco and a tobacco-free world," she said. As host of the 15th WCTOH, Singapore shared its experience with graphic health warnings, smoke-free bans as well as a grassroots movement and support structures to encourage smokers to quit the habit. HPB chief executive officer, Ang Hak Seng said: "We are glad to see other countries sharing our vision of bringing the national smoking rate to below 10 per cent." He said many ideas discussed during the 15th WCTOH focused on the better implementation of top-down solutions like taxation, bans and restrictions on advertising. "Singapore expanded this dialogue by sharing our experience in creating a ground-up social movement to complement top-down policies. We are heartened that many experts have voiced their support of such a bottom-up movement to 'de-normalise' smoking as well as our tough tobacco control policies." Associate Prof Philip Eng, President, 15th WCTOH and a respiratory physician: "I think the future of tobacco control is bright as we are all united with one vision towards a tobacco-free world." -- BERNAMA