WHO urges Phl business groups to join campaign vs smoking

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged businesses in the Philippines and other countries in Western Pacific to support a new campaign intended to establish smoke-free workplaces in the region.

Dubbed “Revolution Smoke-Free,” WHO Regional Director for Western Pacific Shin Young-soo said the program is aimed to make everyone free from tobacco smoke in and out of their workplaces.

“A smoke-free workplace is not a privilege, it’s a global standard… This campaign highlights the importance of protecting (employees’) health and the bottom line through a commitment to creating a smoke-free environment in the workplace,” he noted in a statement.

According to the WHO, tobacco kills seven million people around the world each year, including 890,000 nonsmokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke and in the region, three people die every minute due to tobacco.

This is entirely preventable with strong smoke-free laws in place, Shin said.

However, only nine out of 27 member-states in the WHO Western Pacific Region have adopted comprehensive smoke-free laws covering all public places and workplaces, leaving hundreds of millions of people vulnerable to secondhand smoke.

WHO has traditionally targeted governments to adopt and enforce smoke-free laws, but even with the best understanding and intentions, strong opposition hinders the passage of effective laws.