366 News analysis group’s strong interest in a meeting. It Canada a global exemplar of tobacco appeared that efforts to arrange meetings control by fully meeting all its FCTC with government officials and snus- obligations, in every province and territory, friendly Swedish parliamentarians had by 2011. The statement has been sent to the been unsuccessful, perhaps in part Canadian minister of health and to all the Tob Control: first published as on 29 November 2007. Downloaded from because of the approaching summer holi- provincial and territorial governments. days. The visitors were able instead to have a full morning’s meeting with Swedish doctors, a health-friendly Thailand: planning Swedish parliamentarian and a youth ahead representative from Sweden’s Non-smok- Last year, 2006, ended with new restric- ing Generation national youth anti- tions on smoking in public places in tobacco programme. Also present at the Thailand, including in transport stations, ‘‘harm reduction by snus’’ information public parks, at bus stops and in tele- and discussion session, held at the phone booths. Although there are some famous Karolinska University Hospital, places where smoking is still permitted, were representatives of BAT and ARTH. Belgium: Jenga, the game supplied by BAT to 36 specific types of location have had BAT has made it clear that it wants to Belgian retailers to reward their best customers smoking prohibited or restricted. There get into the snus market, with South and a pack of its Bastos cigarette brand. has been heightened activity for smoke- Africa a major target. Swedish health free places through world no tobacco day advocates, knowing that the visiting cause the eventual collapse of the lung and the second conference (COP 2) of South African delegates might be meeting and other organs. This is why tobacco the parties of the World Health only pro-snus advocates from the tobacco companies say they do not want children Organization’s Framework Convention industry, were glad to have been able to to start smoking. But while Jenga is on Tobacco Control (FCTC) took place in invite them to a meeting. Perhaps it may described as suitable for children aged 6 Bangkok in the summer. Thailand’s Dr have served as a vaccination against any years and above, its packaging has the Hatai Chitanondh was selected as the excesses of those who may later have put same colours as Bastos, a leading Imperial new conference president to preside over commercial interests before a balanced, Tobacco cigarette brand in Belgium. COP 3, to be held in South Africa in 2008. science-based examination of the com- Whatever can Imperial Tobacco be think- Despite impressive achievements in plex topic they were studying. ing of? 2006 and 2007, next year promises new opportunities, with smoking cessation Belgium: retail and tobacco control research the areas http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ Canada: health likely to get special attention. While incentives are child’s workers agree next Thailand has made rapid tobacco control progress through legislation and regula- play targets tory policies, it has been unable to take The British tobacco company Imperial Canada has long been a world leader in advantage of the restrictions on public Tobacco has been supplying Belgian tobacco control, especially with its early smoking or the research information retailers with an unusual gift with which triumphs on banning virtually all promo- available because of a lack of infrastruc- to reward their loyal customers, presum- tion and its subsequent triumph over a ture for population-based cessation and ably to encourage them to buy even more furious tobacco industry in pioneering science-based collaborative research. of the company’s cigarettes. It is illegal to graphic health warnings illustrating dis- Fortunately, the new Thai health pro- supply free gifts with tobacco products eases caused by smoking. One might fessionals alliance against tobacco brings on October 1, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. but so far giving a supply of gifts to assume that by now, Canada has done it prospects for progress in these areas. retailers, to be handed out to customers at all. However, tobacco control leaders Aided by the new tobacco control their discretion, has not been challenged meeting at their annual conference in research and knowledge management by the government. Edmonton, Alberta in September took centre of Mahidol University, this alliance However, instead of something that stock of progress to date and focussed on of nine health professional groups has might be suitable mainly for smokers the one major area still requiring atten- been working to build capacity in these themselves, Imperial Tobacco has gone tion. It is the need for total protection areas. Plans are under way for a national for something rather more homely or at from second-hand smoke in all public smoking cessation ‘‘quitline’’ system. In least more appropriate for homes with places and in the workplace. The con- addition, new opportunities for nicotine children. It is a game called Jenga, which ference duly set targets for achieving this, and tobacco research are on the horizon normally costs J15–18 (US$21–26). as well as for reducing overall tobacco through the first Asian regional confer- Jenga is a game of physical and mental consumption. ence of the Society for Research on skill marketed by Hasbro, which describes Around 700 delegates agreed a national Nicotine and Tobacco, SRNT Bangkok itself as a worldwide leader in children’s position summary and target list, the 2008, scheduled for 28–31 October. and family leisure time entertainment. Edmonton statement, calling for Canada STEPHEN HAMANN Players of the game first build a tower to become the second smoke-free country Thai Health Promotion Foundation, Bangkok, from 54 wooden blocks, then take turns in the Americas (after Uruguay) by the end Thailand; [email protected] to remove them one by one from a layer of 2008. They set a target to reduce other than the top one, placing them on Canada’s overall smoking prevalence to top until the tower collapses. The player 12% by 2011. The statement also chal- USA: still welcome in who caused the collapse is the loser. lenged the government to fulfil its obliga- By contrast, when children play the tions under the World Health the community game of smoking, the loser is the one who Organization’s Framework Convention on Despite suffering revelations that might keeps taking the cigarettes, which can Tobacco Control (FCTC) and to make have driven other companies out of www.tobaccocontrol.com