• PEOPLE PREFER TO BE 100% SMOKE-FREE INSIDE! ...........................................................2 • ANTICIPATE THE OPPOSITION: How to counter tobacco industry myths................. 6 and 7 • WHO FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL (WHO FCTC) ................3 • IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Why the tobacco industry fi ghts smoke-free legislation .... 8 and 9 • FACTS ABOUT SECOND-HAND TOBACCO SMOKE (SHS) .......................................................4 • WHY GO SMOKE-FREE INSIDE? Because… ................................................................................. 10 • THE EVIDENCE / WHO RECOMMENDS................................................................................................ 5 • REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 • THE EVIDENCE / WHO RECOMMENDS.............................................................................................5 100% • 100%ANTICIPATE THE OPPOSITION: Tobacco industry myths and answers....................6 and 7 SMOKE-FREE SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENTS SMOKE-FREE INSIDE ENVIRONMENTS• IN THEIR OWN WHOWORDS: FCTC Why the tobacco industry fi ghts smoke-free legislation...8 and 9 • WHY GO SMOKE-FREE INSIDE? Because… .....10 SUMMARYPeople prefer to be 100% smoke-free inside! WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) The scientifi c evidence leaves no doubt: 100% smoke-free environments (SFEs) are the only The WHO FCTC is a global public health treaty aimed at reducing the burden of disease and death proven way to adequately protect the health of all people from the devastating effects of second- caused by tobacco consumption. Adopted in June 2003, the Convention quickly became one hand tobacco smoke (SHS). Several countries and hundreds of sub-national and local jurisdictions of the most widely embraced treaties in United Nations history; within two and a half years, have reached this conclusion and successfully implemented laws that require almost all it boasted more than 100 Contracting Parties. It offi cially entered into force in February indoor workplaces and public places to be 100% smoke-free. These jurisdictions report large and 2005 and by the end of 2006, the total number of Parties had reached 142 covering more than three immediate health benefi ts, showing that SFEs are feasible and realistic in a variety of contexts. quarters of the world’s population. In March 2004, Ireland became the fi rst nation in Singapore’s already progressive smoke-free policies The Convention adresses tobacco control from the health harm caused by SHS. Case studiesII the world to create and enjoy smoke-free indoor will be extended to include air-conditioned karaoke both the supply and demand sides, by requiring show that countries that enact legislation workplaces and public places, including restaurants, lounges and nightclubs. price and tax increases on tobacco products, to ban smoking in public places witness bars and pubs. Within three months, Norway’s complete bans on tobacco advertising, promotion decreased consumption of tobacco products, smoke-free legislation entered into force. Since At the city level, the citizens of Hong Kong SAR1 and sponsorship, and visible pictorial health partly because it encourages people to quit. then, their example has been followed by more now enjoy smoke-free indoor workplaces and public warnings on all tobacco packages. Article 8, Furthermore, there is no rigorous evidence that countries, such as New Zealand, Italy and Uruguay, places, including child-care centres, schools, Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke these bans have a negative economic impact territories and many more cities and communities hospitals, places of detention, refuge and reformatory (SHS), identifi es proven measures for reducing on the hospitality sector. across the globe. schools and all indoor areas of restaurants, karaoke establishments, residential care homes and Large parts of Canada and the United States of treatment centres. America (USA) have been made smoke-free through provincial or state legislation. Now, 80% of Canadians Evaluation reports continue to fl ow in from Ireland, and 50% of USA residents live in a jurisdiction with New Zealand, NorwayI and other places showing all public and workplaces smoke-free, including that comprehensive smoke-free laws improve bars and restaurants. A similar situation exists health, reduce tobacco consumption, are popular in Australia, where almost all Australians will with both non-smokers and smokers and have no enjoy completely smoke-free indoor public places negative economic impact on the hospitality sector. by October 2007. The benefi ts of smoke-free places are undeniable, Other countries, such as Spain, Guinea and Mauritius, and the movement to smoke-free environments also took important steps with legislation banning is growing with unstoppable momentum. Public smoking in workplaces to protect the health of all health actors, non-governmental organizations and workers. Niger and Uganda are now strengthening other civil society representatives, policy makers, implementation of existing legislation to protect governments and the general public are raising their health and help make the population more aware voices together to ensure workers and the public of the dangers of exposure to SHS. Other countries, are protected from exposure to SHS, by creating and such as England, will bring in or extend legislation in enjoying 100% smoke-free environments. 2007 to make all indoor public places and workplaces (including bars, cafés, pubs and restaurants) 100% By making workplaces and public smoke-free. places 100% smoke-free inside we keep the bodies in those places smoke-free inside, too. Smoke-free is the new norm. Don’t fall behind. Claim your right to be 100% smoke-free inside! 2 3 1 - China, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong SAR). 100% 100% SMOKE-FREE SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENTS FACTS ABOUT SECOND-HAND TOBACCO SMOKE (SHS) ENVIRONMENTS THE EVIDENCE 1 What is second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS)? Evidence on the damaging health effects of exposure to SHS has been Second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) refers to the smoke from burning tobacco products, generated by people accumulating for more than 40 years. smoking them. The tobacco industry has also called it environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). When tobacco Today, there is clear scientific consensus based on hundreds of studies: in adults and children, smoke contaminates the air, especially in enclosed spaces, it is breathed by everyone, exposing both smokers SHS causes serious and fatal diseases, such as heart disease, lung cancer, asthma and others. and non-smokers to its harmful effects. Because it is inhaled by people that are not actively smoking, it is also commonly referred to as involuntary smoking or passive smoking. “The debate is over. The science is clear. 2 Second-hand tobacco smoke causes cancer. Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance There is no doubt: breathing SHS is very dangerous to your health. There are over 4 000 known chemicals in but a serious health hazard.” tobacco smoke; more than 50 of them are known to cause cancer in humans. SHS also causes heart disease Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona and many serious respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in children and adults, which might lead to death. 3 There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. The latest research to reach this conclusion includes these reports. Neither ventilation nor filtration, alone or in combination, can reduce tobacco smoke exposure indoors to levels that are considered acceptable, even in terms of odour, much less health effects. Only 100% smoke- 2006: 2005: 2004: free environments provide effective protection. United States Surgeon California Environmental International Agency for General’s Report Protection Agency (CalEPA) Research on Cancer (IARC) 4 Almost half of the world’s children breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke. on The Health Proposed Identification of Monograph 83: Consequences of Environmental Tobacco Smoke Tobacco Smoke Exposure to SHS occurs anywhere smoking is permitted: homes, workplaces, public places. The WHO estimates Involuntary Exposure to as a Toxic Air Contaminant and Involuntary that around 700 million children, or almost half of the world’s children, breathe air polluted by tobacco Tobacco Smoke (Part B: Health Effects) Smoking smoke, particularly at home.III Findings from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, developed by WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among students 13 to 15 years (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air (http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG old in 132 countries between 1999 and 2005 show that:IV /secondhandsmoke/) /environmental_tobacco/pdf/app3partb2005.pdf) /Monographs/vol83/volume83.pdf) 43,9% 55,8% 76,1% of the students are exposed of the students are exposed of the students surveyed WHO recommends: to second-hand tobacco to second-hand tobacco express support for smoking smoke at home. smoke in public places. bans in public places. WHO policy recommendations on how to protect people from the harmful effects of SHS are based on this overwhelming body of conclusive evidence. These recommendations are used to guide smoke-free policies and legislation and help raise awareness among decision makers 5 Second-hand tobacco smoke contributes heavily to the global burden of disease. everywhere that 100%