Smoke-free Air Policies to Reduce Smoking

BackgroundMisuse and Abuse of Tobacco

• Increase rates of cancer– Lung cancer

• Heart disease• Poor circulation– asthma

• High blood pressure

Key Facts on Tobacco Use • It is estimated that two people die each minute

from tobacco-related disease in the Western Pacific. • On the average, smokers die 10 years earlier than

non-smokers.

Secondhand Smoke -Smoke inhaled by people who are near the person who is smoking -There are over 7,000 known chemicals found in secondhand smoke and 250 are known to be toxic.

Designate Smoke-Free

• Evidence has shown that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

• Separate or ventilated smoking areas do not protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke.

• Only 100% smoke free places improve overall air quality.

Pregnancy and Tobacco Smoke

• Risk of stillbirth • Babies with birth

defects– cleft palate– heart problems

• Low birth weight baby• Chemicals from

secondhand smoke affect the brain and interferes with the infants breathing

Youth and Tobacco• Studies have shown that children whose parents smoke are

sick more often. – Get more frequent and severe asthma attacks – Lung problems, like bronchitis and pneumonia– Ear infections

• We must protect our youth from tobacco!

www.euro.who.int

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

• Identifies key policy interventions critical to combat tobacco

• To stop the NCD epidemic, leaders at all levels must commit to fully enacting the provisions outlined in the Framework Convention

Article 8: Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke

• total elimination of smoking and tobacco smoke in a particular space or environment in order to create a 100% smoke free environment– indoor workplaces – indoor public places– public transport– public outdoor places: entry ways, outdoor venues

Important Considerations

• Smoke-free laws benefit overall conditions such as air quality, environment, health, and reduces smoking.

• Smoke-free air acts have been enforced in indoor workplaces, public transportation, beaches, and parks.

• Smoke-free air acts reduce smoking by 3.8% in Canada, United States, Australia and Germany in 2002, which is about 3.1 fewer cigarettes smoked per day per smoker.

What can churches do?

• Encourage youth to involve themselves in church activities

• Educate your community about the harmful effects of tobacco and secondhand smoke

• Support those who are struggling with tobacco use, including betel nut

• Ban tobacco use at church related events

What can schools do?

• Educate your youth about the harmful effects of tobacco and the problems it can have on their health

• Enforce rules about smoking at school• Promote school activities or a week of

awareness to discuss the problems associated with tobacco use and their harmful effects

• Ban smoking at school events and other school activities

What can communities do?

• Form or join a coalition to strategize for a smoke-free campaign

• Work together to help prohibit smoking in public places

• Educate your community about the harmful effects of tobacco and secondhand smoke

• Initiate smoke-free community events and activities

• Strictly enforce smoke-free laws

What can I do?

• Talk to people that you know are interested in taking action in your community

• Find out where your community stands about secondhand smoke and smoke-free laws.

• Reach out to people in the public health sector to address this concern

• Put together a project with a team/working group who can help you speak at community meetings to help prohibit smoking in public places

Pass and enforce model comprehensive smoke-free air actsChuuk’s Example

Target Population: National/ Catholic Church MembersSummary: Indoor Clean Air Act of 2011

After Chuuk’s Legislative building was completely destroyed from a fire in 2011, a lot of the state policies had to be recreated and rewritten

Chuuk State Law No. 191-08: Smoking Act of 1991 was repealed and changed it into a more comprehensive tobacco policy, the “Indoor Clean Air Act” of 2011

Indoor Clean Air Act of 2011: -indoor smoking, selling single tobaccos and tobacco products to minors became illegal

Domino Effect: Catholic Churches in Chuuk started to prohibit their church members from smoking in church grounds and prohibited all Catholic Church officials from smoking and chewing

Currently: NCD Coalition recognizes the need for policy evaluation and is looking towards incorporating policy assessments in NCD Action Plan for years 4 and 5 of the NCD grant cycle

Pass and enforce model comprehensive smoke-free air actsAmerican Samoa’s Example

Target Population: all Department of Health employeesSummary: American Samoa Department of Health (DOH) Employee Wellness Policy #13-01

October 2013: DOH implemented a policy for all DOH employees relating to proper nutrition, physical activity and tobacco smoking

Enforced Smoke-free Worksite became an extension of the Smoke-Free Environment Act of 2010

Prohibition of smoking and tobacco use in all DOH owned and/or leased locations/premises, including but not limited to all internal and external areas, parking lots and building entrances, as well as all DOH owned and/or leased vehicles

Pass and enforce model comprehensive smoke-free air acts

Yap’s ExampleTarget Population: Yap StateSummary: 2010 State Law 7-75 Anti-smoking Act

A partnership with Yap’s Tobacco Program, Substance Abuse Program, Diabetes Program, Ministry of Health (MOH) and other community organizations and Yap’s NCD Program

Educated political leaders on the harmful effects of second-hand smoking and looked at successful policies in other regions such as Hawaii’s anti-smoking laws

In 2010, the anti-smoking law in public areas and workplaces was implemented

Yap modified Hawaii’s 20 feet no smoking zone and made it into a 50 feet no smoking zones in building entrances

Pass and enforce model comprehensive smoke-free air acts

Guam’s ExampleTarget Population: NationalSummary: PL32-60: Ban of Electronic Cigarette Sales to Minors

May 2014: Public Law 32-60 banned the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors Triggered by the increasing popularity of “vaping” or the use of electronic

cigarettes among middle school and high school, in addition to the increasing propaganda selling electronic cigarettes as a safe alternative to tobacco smoking

Guam’s Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) took the prohibition of using electronic cigarettes to include all DPHSS staff within all PHSS facilities

Currently, the Guam Non Communicable Disease (NCD) Coalition is working on learning more about the contents of electronic cigarettes to better educate the public, especially the youth, on the harmful effects of these products

Who to contact?

James RarickTechnical Officer, Tobacco Free Initiative

WHO Western Pacific Regional OfficeManila, Philippines

E-mail: rarickj@wpro.who.int