Tobacco smoke-free environment is a right

Tobacco smoke-free environment is a right

World Environment Day, June 5

Second-hand tobacco smoke is dangerous to health. It causes cancer, heart disease and many other serious diseases in adults. Almost half of the world's children breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, which worsens their asthma conditions and causes dangerous diseases. At least 2 lakhs workers die every year due to exposure to second-hand smoke at work.

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. It causes 1 in 10 deaths among adults worldwide.

Ensuring a tobacco smoke-free environment is the only way to protect ourselves from the lethal ill effects of tobacco smoke.

According to WHO, there are some 4000 known chemicals in tobacco smoke; more than 50 of them are known to cause cancer in humans. Tobacco smoke in enclosed spaces is breathed in by everyone, exposing smokers and non-smokers alike to its harmful effects.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 2 lakh workers die every year due to exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke at work.

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Neither ventilation nor filtration, even in combination, can reduce tobacco smoke exposure indoors to levels that are considered acceptable. Only 100% smoke-free environments provide effective protection.

Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, recognizes that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability, and asks countries to adopt and implement legislation that provides protection from second-hand smoke.

Many countries around the world have already introduced laws to protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke in public places. India is one of them.

"An Act on no-smoking in public places has been brought out by the Centre two-and-a-half years ago, but it remained only on paper. Now, we have made a modification in the already enforced rule and from 2 October 2008, the modified rule will be enforced strongly across the country," said Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister.

The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act-2003, of the Government of India has notified revised Rules on the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places on 30 May 2008.

"As per the revised Rules, smoking is banned in shopping malls, cinema halls, public/private work place, hotels, banquet halls, discotheques, canteen, coffee house, pubs, bars, airport lounge, railway stations", said Dr Ramadoss.

Contrary to common belief, smoke-free environments are widely supported by both smokers and non-smokers.

Having a smoke-free environment often saves money for bars and restaurant owners, reducing their risks of fire and consequently their insurance costs. It often results in lower renovation, cleaning and maintenance costs too.

Tobacco smoke-free environment is a right

Tobacco smoke-free environment is a right

World Environment Day, June 5

Second-hand tobacco smoke is dangerous to health. It causes cancer, heart disease and many other serious diseases in adults. Almost half of the world's children breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, which worsens their asthma conditions and causes dangerous diseases. At least 2 lakhs workers die every year due to exposure to second-hand smoke at work.

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. It causes 1 in 10 deaths among adults worldwide.

Ensuring a tobacco smoke-free environment is the only way to protect ourselves from the lethal ill effects of tobacco smoke.

According to WHO, there are some 4000 known chemicals in tobacco smoke; more than 50 of them are known to cause cancer in humans. Tobacco smoke in enclosed spaces is breathed in by everyone, exposing smokers and non-smokers alike to its harmful effects.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 2 lakh workers die every year due to exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke at work.

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Neither ventilation nor filtration, even in combination, can reduce tobacco smoke exposure indoors to levels that are considered acceptable. Only 100% smoke-free environments provide effective protection.

Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, recognizes that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability, and asks countries to adopt and implement legislation that provides protection from second-hand smoke.

Many countries around the world have already introduced laws to protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke in public places. India is one of them.

"An Act on no-smoking in public places has been brought out by the Centre two-and-a-half years ago, but it remained only on paper. Now, we have made a modification in the already enforced rule and from 2 October 2008, the modified rule will be enforced strongly across the country," said Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister.

The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act-2003, of the Government of India has notified revised Rules on the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places on 30 May 2008.

"As per the revised Rules, smoking is banned in shopping malls, cinema halls, public/private work place, hotels, banquet halls, discotheques, canteen, coffee house, pubs, bars, airport lounge, railway stations", said Dr Ramadoss.

Contrary to common belief, smoke-free environments are widely supported by both smokers and non-smokers.

Having a smoke-free environment often saves money for bars and restaurant owners, reducing their risks of fire and consequently their insurance costs. It often results in lower renovation, cleaning and maintenance costs too.

Activists to fast demanding release of Binayak Sen

Activists to fast demanding release of Binayak Sen

To sign the appeal, click here

Hundreds of human rights activists will begin a ten-day fast from June 16 demanding the immediate release of public health expert and activist Dr. Binayak Sen, a critic of the Chhattisgarh government's Salwa Judum policy who has been in jail for more than an year under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act 2005.

The fast, to be organized in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur, will end on June 25 - the day emergency rule was imposed in the country on 1975, the activists declared on their website announcing the "Solidarity fast in support of Binayak Sen".

A recipient of the Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights (2008), Sen was arrested May 14, 2007, for allegedly passing letters from a Naxalite leader - who he had been treating - to another inside the Raipur jail.

Sen, a member of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), has been a vocal critic of the Chhattisgarh government's sponsoring the Salwa-Judum campaign which allegedly thrives on extra-constitutional violence and pits tribals against tribals.

In April this year, the Supreme Court expressed its disapproval of the constitution of the 'Salwa Judum' (self-defence groups) by the Chhattisgarh government and giving them arms to tackle the naxal menace. "These draconian laws sanction the violation of due process by the state, and thus contravene internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence as well as democratic governance," said Dr. Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002). He is also a noted social activist heading the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).

"The fast is to ensure that human rights of marginalized people are not trampled upon and human rights defenders continue to work fearlessly," Pandey said.

President of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) K.G. Kannabiran has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which, following the Supreme Court's order, is examining the allegations of excesses in the Chhatisgarh government's Salwa Judum programme.

"The Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, both operate by criminalizing the very performance of civil liberties activities, and culpability is decided upon not by direct proof, but through guilt by association" said Kannabiran in the letter. An NHRC team visited Chhattisgarh's Bastar region in May to probe into alleged human rights violations by the Salwa Judum.

The probe team's Chhattisgarh visit follows a Supreme Court order April 15 asking an NHRC committee to look into alleged human rights violations by Salwa Judum cadres and submit a report within eight weeks.

Published in

Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh, India

Indo Asian News Service (IANS)

Howrah News Service, West Bengal, India

Yahoo! News, India

American Chronicle, USA

New Kerala, Kerala, India

Thai Indian, Bangkok, Thailand

California Chronicle, California, USA

India eNews

Sulekha News, India

Naxal Terror Watch, India

New Post India, India

WebIndia123.com

Mangalore News, Karnataka, India

My News, India

Samachaar.in, India

India Health News, India

Andhra Vilas News, Andhra Pradesh, India

Freedom for Media, Nepal

Daily News Raipur, India

Topix News

The Seoul Times, Seoul, South Korea

Activists to fast demanding release of Binayak Sen

Activists to fast demanding release of Binayak Sen

To sign the appeal, click here

Hundreds of human rights activists will begin a ten-day fast from June 16 demanding the immediate release of public health expert and activist Dr. Binayak Sen, a critic of the Chhattisgarh government's Salwa Judum policy who has been in jail for more than an year under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act 2005.

The fast, to be organized in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur, will end on June 25 - the day emergency rule was imposed in the country on 1975, the activists declared on their website announcing the "Solidarity fast in support of Binayak Sen".

A recipient of the Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights (2008), Sen was arrested May 14, 2007, for allegedly passing letters from a Naxalite leader - who he had been treating - to another inside the Raipur jail.

Sen, a member of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), has been a vocal critic of the Chhattisgarh government's sponsoring the Salwa-Judum campaign which allegedly thrives on extra-constitutional violence and pits tribals against tribals.

In April this year, the Supreme Court expressed its disapproval of the constitution of the 'Salwa Judum' (self-defence groups) by the Chhattisgarh government and giving them arms to tackle the naxal menace. "These draconian laws sanction the violation of due process by the state, and thus contravene internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence as well as democratic governance," said Dr. Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002). He is also a noted social activist heading the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).

"The fast is to ensure that human rights of marginalized people are not trampled upon and human rights defenders continue to work fearlessly," Pandey said.

President of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) K.G. Kannabiran has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which, following the Supreme Court's order, is examining the allegations of excesses in the Chhatisgarh government's Salwa Judum programme.

"The Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, both operate by criminalizing the very performance of civil liberties activities, and culpability is decided upon not by direct proof, but through guilt by association" said Kannabiran in the letter. An NHRC team visited Chhattisgarh's Bastar region in May to probe into alleged human rights violations by the Salwa Judum.

The probe team's Chhattisgarh visit follows a Supreme Court order April 15 asking an NHRC committee to look into alleged human rights violations by Salwa Judum cadres and submit a report within eight weeks.

Published in

Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh, India

Indo Asian News Service (IANS)

Howrah News Service, West Bengal, India

Yahoo! News, India

American Chronicle, USA

New Kerala, Kerala, India

Thai Indian, Bangkok, Thailand

California Chronicle, California, USA

India eNews

Sulekha News, India

Naxal Terror Watch, India

New Post India, India

WebIndia123.com

Mangalore News, Karnataka, India

My News, India

Samachaar.in, India

India Health News, India

Andhra Vilas News, Andhra Pradesh, India

Freedom for Media, Nepal

Daily News Raipur, India

Topix News

The Seoul Times, Seoul, South Korea

Solidarity fast in support of Dr Binayak Sen

Solidarity fast in support of Dr Binayak Sen

[To read this posting in Hindi language, click here]
------------------------------------------------------

Note: If you can fast for 1-10 days (up to you) from wherever-you-are in solidarity with Jonathan Mann Awardee (2008) Dr Sen, please sign-up here


TEN-DAY FAST IN PROTEST AGAINST THE BLACK LAWS & FOR RELEASE OF Dr BINAYAK SEN, AJAY TG and others

16 - 25 June 2008

A 10-day Fast beginning 16th June, 2008, is being organized at Raipur in Chhattisgarh to express solidarity with Dr. Binayak Sen (Medical Doctor), Ajay T G (Film Maker) -- both are members of the PUCL, and many others detained under the draconian Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act 2005, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (1967) amended in 2004.

These draconian laws sanction the violation of due process by the state, and thus contravene internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence as well as democratic governance. As Senior Advocate K G Kannabiran, National President of PUCL, India, argues in his letter to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the CSPSA and UAPA operate by criminalizing the very performance of civil liberties activities, and culpability is decided upon not by direct proof, but through guilt by association.

The PUCL-Chhattisgarh Unit, with Dr. Binayak Sen's active leadership as its General Secretary, had exposed the government sponsored so-called campaign Salwa-Judum in Chhattisgarh which legitimizes extra-constitutional violence and pits adivasis against adivasis.

The Fast is to ensure that human rights of marginalized people are not trampled upon and human rights defenders continue to work fearlessly. The Fast will end on 25th June, the day Emergency Rule in India was declared in 1975, followed by a National Convention on Repressive Laws & Human Rights on 25th & 26th June 2008 at Raipur.

We invite you to join the campaign to end arbitrary abuse of state power and protect democratic rights of ordinary citizens by joining in the fast for any number of days either in Raipur or at your own place.

Rajendra Sail (9826804519), Gautam Bandopadhyay (9826171304), Ilina Sen (9425206875), Kavita Srivastava (9351562965), Faisal Khan (9313106745),
Sandeep Pandey (ashaashram@yahoo.com)
----------------------------------------

Note: If you can fast for 1-10 days (up to you) from wherever-you-are in solidarity with Jonathan Mann Awardee (2008) Dr Sen, please sign-up here

----------------------------------------

To read about the Jonathan Mann award, click here

Solidarity fast in support of Dr Binayak Sen

Solidarity fast in support of Dr Binayak Sen

[To read this posting in Hindi language, click here]
------------------------------------------------------

Note: If you can fast for 1-10 days (up to you) from wherever-you-are in solidarity with Jonathan Mann Awardee (2008) Dr Sen, please sign-up here


TEN-DAY FAST IN PROTEST AGAINST THE BLACK LAWS & FOR RELEASE OF Dr BINAYAK SEN, AJAY TG and others

16 - 25 June 2008

A 10-day Fast beginning 16th June, 2008, is being organized at Raipur in Chhattisgarh to express solidarity with Dr. Binayak Sen (Medical Doctor), Ajay T G (Film Maker) -- both are members of the PUCL, and many others detained under the draconian Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act 2005, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (1967) amended in 2004.

These draconian laws sanction the violation of due process by the state, and thus contravene internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence as well as democratic governance. As Senior Advocate K G Kannabiran, National President of PUCL, India, argues in his letter to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the CSPSA and UAPA operate by criminalizing the very performance of civil liberties activities, and culpability is decided upon not by direct proof, but through guilt by association.

The PUCL-Chhattisgarh Unit, with Dr. Binayak Sen's active leadership as its General Secretary, had exposed the government sponsored so-called campaign Salwa-Judum in Chhattisgarh which legitimizes extra-constitutional violence and pits adivasis against adivasis.

The Fast is to ensure that human rights of marginalized people are not trampled upon and human rights defenders continue to work fearlessly. The Fast will end on 25th June, the day Emergency Rule in India was declared in 1975, followed by a National Convention on Repressive Laws & Human Rights on 25th & 26th June 2008 at Raipur.

We invite you to join the campaign to end arbitrary abuse of state power and protect democratic rights of ordinary citizens by joining in the fast for any number of days either in Raipur or at your own place.

Rajendra Sail (9826804519), Gautam Bandopadhyay (9826171304), Ilina Sen (9425206875), Kavita Srivastava (9351562965), Faisal Khan (9313106745),
Sandeep Pandey (ashaashram@yahoo.com)
----------------------------------------

Note: If you can fast for 1-10 days (up to you) from wherever-you-are in solidarity with Jonathan Mann Awardee (2008) Dr Sen, please sign-up here

----------------------------------------

To read about the Jonathan Mann award, click here

Enforce existing tobacco control legislations in India

Enforce existing tobacco control legislations in India

Despite of five years having passed by since the globally acclaimed national tobacco control parliamentary Act (The Cigarette and other tobacco products Act 2003) was formed, and more than four years since India had ratified the FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) - which happens to be the world's first global public health and corporate accountability treaty -- the urgent need to contain tobacco-related diseases, morbidity and mortality, remains as compelling.

Tobacco companies have been aggressively promoting their brands and protecting markets, employing lifestyle and glamour imagery and surrogate advertising unabashedly.

Tobacco brand placement in films have been under scanner and India's Union Health Minister Dr Ambumani Ramadoss had reaffirmed recently in an interview that "One of the easiest ways to significantly bring down number of children and youth who get initiated to tobacco use in India, without any budgetary allocation for this public health exercise, is to remove depiction of tobacco use in films and TV".

The impact of these public welfare policy measures is yet to be seen on curtailing tobacco consumption or tobacco related health hazards. Balance sheets of tobacco companies on the other hand have shown remarkable increase in their markets. The Indian Tobacco Company (ITC)'s 2008 quarter report showed an increase of 12% profit margin.

Like other public interest measures, Governments alone cannot bring in the difference unless people are active stakeholders in implementation. The information about tobacco hazards and existing tobacco control policies still remains confined to tobacco control professionals and there is a pressing need to transmit this information about public health policies our governments have agreed to adapt at International forums far and wide.

Tobacco kills almost five million people each year. If current trends continue, it is projected to kill 10 million people a year by 2030, with 70% of those deaths occurring in developing countries. Tobacco also takes an enormous toll in health care costs, lost productivity, and of course the intangible costs of the pain and suffering inflicted upon smokers, passive smokers and their families.

The tobacco epidemic is an international problem. Developing countries are set to bear the brunt of the problem in the future. At present there are about 5.4 million deaths a year worldwide due to tobacco-related disease, with the balance split approximately between developed and developing countries.

The tobacco industry is a global industry. Faced with increased regulation and greater awareness of the health risks of smoking in Europe and North America, the tobacco multinationals are stepping up their activities in developing countries like India in search of new markets.

A number of aspects of the tobacco problem are particularly trans-boundary in nature and can only be dealt with effectively by international action, including:

- Tobacco industry marketing campaigns executed across a number of different countries simultaneously, including through satellite television;

- Smuggling of cigarettes, often coordinated by the tobacco industry on an international level, involving operations in numerous countries.

How effective these tobacco control policies will be in reversing the tobacco epidemic, shall be determined by how committed not only the governments are but also how meaningfully are people engaged, in implementing the obligations contained in the FCTC or national legislations.

Published in

Asian Tribune, Thailand/ Sri Lanka

ShoutWire

News Blaze, USA

Freedom for Media, Nepal

Santa Monica Chronicle, USA

American Chronicle, USA

The Seoul Times, Seoul, South Korea

California Chronicle, California, USA