Smoking age reduced to under 10 in Iran

“Smoking age has reached below 10 in the country”, Mohammad-Reza Ma’dani lamented.

Describing it as a social disastrous phenomenon, he called for concerted efforts to resolve the problem.

Although, the Islamic Republic alongside Ireland, Canada, and Australia are parties to an international treaty to global tobacco control [the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)], Ma’dani explained, “There is a fall in the country’s average smoking age”.

According to head of research center of IATA, Iran signed the FCTC convention in July 2006, based on which the parliament approved Iranian Comprehensive National Tobacco Control Law in 20 articles and 5 notes.  

Ali Abdollahinia referred to some articles of the law and said we should undertake a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship within five years of ratifying the treaty.

Abdolliahnia said that the FCTC has since become one of the most widely embraced treaties in UN history and, as of today, has already 163 parties.

Ma’dani also referred to some articles of the FCTC, and said that parties to the WHO treaty are required to attach health warning labels to all cigarette and tobacco packets.

Warning labels must include rotating messages in the principle languages of the party, and may include pictures or pictograms, Ma’dani added.

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization. It was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2003 and entered into force in February 2005.

Protecting present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke, were among the objectives of the FCTC described by Ma’dani.

Also referred to some other articles of the FCTC, Madani said that the parties are obligated to take account of its national health objectives concerning tobacco control” in their tobacco tax and price policies.

The treaty recognizes that raising prices is an effective and important means of reducing tobacco consumption by various segments of the population, youngsters in particular, the IATA secretary added.

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MNA

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