WHO A

Welcome to SUNS 2008!

Committee: World Health Organization

Topic A: The Achievement of a Tobacco Free Society

Director: Monica Itzel Guerrero Ruiz

Committee Background:

The World Health Organization is the directing and coordinating authority for health in the United Nations system. It is their work to provide leadership on global health matters, making the health agenda, setting standards and norms, monitoring and assessing health trends, and provide technical support to countries.

WHO was established on April 7, 1948 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The Committee objective “is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health”. Their mission is to combat disease and promote the general health around the world. Health according to WHO is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

As any other committee WHO cannot force countries to follow their norms nor their standards, but it can only suggest them to do what they propose and assure them that they are taking a very intelligent decision.

Topic Background:

“There are more 4000 chemicals in tobacco smoke; only 50 of them are known to cause cancer in humans.”

Tobacco has been an important problem in the last 20^th century, an impressive rise on tobacco use and not only in adults, but the alarming problem that teenagers are starting to become addicts at such a young age have concerned countries.

Deaths and health problems the tobacco causes in people who mainly smoke, the air quality in public places (closed places mainly) and the health of second-hand smokers have concerned WHO, making the organization take action immediately.

Smoking in a closed place exposes smokers and non-smokers alike to its harmful effects. According to the ILO (International Labor Organization) 20,000 second-hand smokers die every year due to the tobacco smoke.

Neither ventilation nor filtration can reduce tobacco smoke to a level considered acceptable, but only places with 100% smoke-free environments can provide protection.

Having smoke-free environments often saves money for bars and restaurants owners, reducing the risk of fire, the insurance costs, the result in lower renovation, cleaning and maintenance costs.

However, smokers are the main clients; they represent 70% of restaurants and bars customers, meaning that if the business becomes a smoke-free environment this will highly affect the business.

Sickness and the high costs of a health insurance are some of the problems people who smoke have to deal with. In countries were there is a public health system, society covers smokers’ medical care costs who become ill. However as the rate of tobacco health problems have increased, the taxes of public health have rise too. The controversy between the “pro-smoking” and the “anti-smoking” debating if smokers should have health insurance too has been highly alarming.

The high levels of nicotine in cigarettes are also a main cause of addiction and in consequence health problems because of the need to smoke and the daily use of the product. Nicotine is a substance found in leaves, roots, and seeds of the tobacco plant. According to the Department of Public Health, from 1998 to 2004, the amount of nicotine inhaled from cigarettes increased 10%, even those branded “light”.

According to Lois Keithly, director of Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program, public health found that it’s even more difficult to quit smoking when the amount of nicotine in a cigarette is higher. The responsible party is obviously the smoking factories, which are the only ones who benefit from the consumption of tobacco. However the companies claim that they only increase nicotine in their products to make cigarettes more pleasurable and that it’s the person’s choice to smoke.

Many countries around the world have already introduced laws to protect and inform people from the exposure to tobacco smoke in public places. Celebrations such as the World No Tobacco Day on May 31 have encouraged people to go smoke free. However there is still too much work to do, organizations to make, decisions to make and laws to obey.

History of the problem:

Tobacco became famous since the early 1500’s when Indian Americans showed it to Columbus. Europeans and Indians believed tobacco was a healing plant, and about the middle 1500’s tobacco was a popular healing plant in Europe. Then around 1600’s individuals noticed that trying to quit the bad habit was really hard. The first tobacco company was established in 1760 by Pierre Lorillad.

It wasn’t until 1950’s and 1960’s scientist found that smoking tobacco products caused lung cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses.

However the great impact of cigarettes were during World War II, were soldiers usually smoked to keep the tension away. Then during the 80’s and 90’s the tobacco industry started marketing outside United States, especially in Asian countries.

In 1996 the Liggett Group in the United States was the first tobacco company to pay a lawsuit. People claim that this company knew tobacco was addictive, and they didn’t tell them. The Liggett Group agreed to pay 5 percent of the company’s pre tax-income for the next 25 years towards anti-smoking programs.

Although researches have proven that smoking tobacco is harmful to your system, the popularity in the 20th century was higher that any other. A series of alarming sickness due to tobacco have been discovered, but people still seem to be unconscious about the consequences of this addiction.

In just the past few years the tobacco use has risen more than 40% worldwide.

Countries:

Russia:

Tobacco use in Russia has recently risen in an impressive short of time.

60 percent of the population smokes, and the life expectancy of Russians are around 65, and health analysts in the country say that heavy rate of smoking plays a big role in a looming population drop that worry the economists. The problem in Russia in the cheap prices in tobacco, there the pack can cost 25 cents, because unlike other countries tobacco is hardly taxed.

However just recently the Russian president Vladimir Putin signed the law and became the latest nation to join the World Health Organization’s International Tobacco Control Treaty. The treaty reaffirms the right of all people to have the highest average health and demand a series of actions such as price and tax in tobacco products, regulation of the contents of the product, education, communication, training and public awareness, ban the illicit trade of tobacco products, sales to minors etc between others. This is a very important step toward reducing tobacco use and saving millions of lives in one of the world’s heaviest-smoking nations.

For the treaty to really have an impact on the nation’s health it is critical that the nation uses effective implements called by the treaty. Some implements are; ban tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorships, large graphic health warnings on tobacco products, enact smoke-free air laws that apply to all workplaces and public places, raise the price of tobacco products by significantly increasing tobacco taxes; and fund and implement effective tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

United States:

The controversial topic in this country has lead to the government to reach to a final decision. Prohibition of smoking in airplanes, inside buildings, bans on commercials for tobacco-related products in TV and radio, advertisements for nicotine gum and patches, the reports of the dangers of smoking, and a series of limitations against the tobacco industry have all been introduced.

However the exportation of tobacco in the United States is impressive with more than $1 billion per year and a production of 726,724 lb.

The tobacco industry in the United States has been a private company since it was established. Courts have ordered these industries to pay compensations for the damage in customer’s health due to the lack of awareness industries make to the customer about the possible health problems.

Approximately 1 of 7 Americans are smokers in the United States and spend more than $1300 a year in cigarettes, the average cost per pack is of $2.45.

Japan:

Tobacco is one of the major problems in Japan, the cheap prices of tobacco invites young and adults to smoke. Just recently most tobacco companies in Japan have decided to lower their prices in cigarettes lowering more than 30% of the actual price.

Although in many countries the smoking rate is decreasing due to the prevention and information campaigns worldwide, Japan’s rate remains high. The antismoking movement, the publicity regarding the dangers of smoking, and warning signs became more popular in the country but still a very few response has been achieved.

However, Japan hasn’t succeeded very well in the privatization of tobacco companies for the government still holds two-thirds of its stock. Moreover, it established the Tobacco Business Law to support the companies claiming that is the own customer choice to smoke.

China:

China is the leading tobacco-growing country worldwide producing more than 2,689,000 tons a year. Approximately 300 million Chinese smoke and half a million die every year for smoking, and it is costing billions in tobacco-related losses. According to Dr. Rodrick Gee, representative of WHO in China, the biggest preventable cause of death in China is smoking.

China is the biggest cigarette market with sales of 1.6 trillion cigarettes a year. Although the taxes in tobacco are the biggest income, health care and other costs related to smoking are higher each year.

However China has introduced a series of anti-smoking campaigns recently, making restrictions on cigarette advertisings and banning smoking in public places, which they plan to make stronger with campaigns to decrease the smoking rate.

The controversy between United States and China has been too of highly protest. According to China the U.S claims to their country that smoking is bad and promotes a series of laws and campaigns to decrease smoking, but when it comes to exporting, the United States tries to convince others to accept their cigarettes.

Australia:

Smoking caused more than 18,000 deaths in Australia in the 90’s, and of drugs caused deaths, 82% are due to tobacco. Tobacco usage is widespread, with about one quarter of the population smoking regularly. It was until 1972 a mandatory health warning was required in cigarettes.

Australia confronts an alarming situation by selling cigarettes to minors, even though each state and territory bans the sale of this product to them. Although these bans shows evidence that it is effective in reducing smoking among young people it is not enough.

Many organizations now have workplace smoking restrictions, many public places like restaurants, hotels, some shopping malls still don’t. Cigarettes in Australia remain cheap and widely available, and there is still not enough promotion of the danger of tobacco use.

UN Action about the Topic:

The tobacco use in children is a topic that concerns the U.N, according to WHO a great number of smokers begins using tobacco products before the age of 18 years. It was predicted that a lifetime of tobacco could result in the deaths of 250 million children and young people alive today, the problem mainly in developing countries.

Some of the UN solutions:

This year WHO reported the Global Tobacco Epidemic which reports an analysis of tobacco use and control efforts. It provides countries a roadmap to stop the alarming tobacco epidemic. The report shows multiple measures to stop the smoking problem with laws and bands about smoking.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a treaty which shows evidence and reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health. The treaty demands the reduction strategies as well as supply issues. Things like global marketing, transnational tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and the international movement of contraband cigarettes have contributed to increase tobacco use.

The Tobacco Free Initiative is a campaign to reduce smoking especially in youth; the campaign includes a series of sport events, fashion, music, cultural events, magazines, etc. to make it more attractive.

WHO has implemented some of these solutions in regions such as Africa, some countries in America, South-East Asia Region, Europe, between others.

Possible Solutions:

Aware that many solutions have already been introduced in most of UN countries, we need to analyze which solutions are making a difference, the ones we need to reinforce, and the ones we need to end.

Banning in public places has been an effective way to reduce smoking and increase the air quality in enclosed places. However governments still lack authority to force businesss to obey the law. There are many countries that still don’t introduce and practice this regulation.

The increases of taxes in tobacco products such as the cigarettes seem another successful solution and although highly debated, it isn’t a very used one. The controversy whether the raising of taxes would develop a crisis in tobacco factories and with these develop a series of another problems has put in doubt the efficiency of the solution.

The advertising restrictions have also been of high controversy. on one hand, the decrease of advertising showing tobacco as a medium to party, woman, men, and fun should have an impact in society. However tobacco factories and “pro-smoking” campaigns will not just accept the solution.

A series of smoking free campaigns have been already developed. The question is have they really worked out? And, what actions should we implement to produce a higher impact in society with such campaigns?

Conclusion:

Clearly tobacco use kills the consumer little by little, and although many regulations have been made before people seem to keep their eyes closed to the consequences. As we said before solutions like regulations, treaties, bans, legislations, policies, and campaigns between others have made only a little impact for the huge problem smoking represents.

Low taxes, the impressive exports and imports countries make, still, the massive promotion of tobacco substances like cigarettes, are some of the reason smoking is increasing and not only in developed country but, ironically in the poorest countries too. Millions of people die every year for smoking, health insurance price is higher every year, public health centers are not enough for thousands smoking individuals, health problems in passive-smokers have become more popular and still, the problem keeps going on.

Questions about the Topic:

What percent of your country’s population smoke?

What actions have your country taken to reduce tobacco use?

Which are the main reasons of consumption of tobacco in your country?

Does your country have any national organization to prevent smoking?

How much does your country spend in health care due to tobacco use?

What’s the average cost of a pack in cigarettes in your country?

What’s the percentage of taxes collected per pack from cigarettes?

Bibliography:

www.parliament.uk/post/pn206.pdf

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/clean_indoor_air_act/ciaalaw.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4014597.stm