GENERAL

• In collaboration with the members of the Working Group, and consistent with details of the Framework, WHO/WPR should finalize the 2000-2004 Action Plan on Tobacco or Health for endorsement by the 1999 WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee.
• In preparation for implementation of the 2000-2004 Action Plan, WHO should consider funding and implementing the proposed 1999 Tobacco or Health Project.
• To support finalization of the 2000-2004 Action Plan and its subsequent implementation, and to support implementation of the proposed 1999 Tobacco or Health Project, WHO should, at the earliest possible date, provide staff to support implementation of the Tobacco or Health programme on a full-time, dedicated basis.
• WHO and Member States should develop and implement their regional and national Plans of Action with a view towards supporting the development and adoption of the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

• To reach the overall aim of achieving a measurable and sustainable reduction in smoking prevalence rates, WHO and Member States, in partnership with others, should focus on the following approaches:
  
  
  • develop and implement National Plans of Action on Tobacco or Health, with the goal of having formal Plans in place in all Member States by the end of 2001;
  • develop and implement policies, legislation and regulations that deter tobacco use, including those that affect pricing and marketing; advertising and promotional activities; and smoking in public places, with the goal of having effective policies in place in all Member States by the end of 2002; and effective legislation and regulations in place in all Member States by the end of 2003;
  • develop and use advocacy, educational and promotional campaigns and materials that encourage people not to start and to quit smoking, appropriate to the Region as a whole by the end of 1999, and appropriate to each Member State as an integral part of their National Plan development and implementation activities;
  • monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of Tobacco or Health initiatives comprising the Regional/National Plans of Action, including indicators of progress that are consistent with available data, and indicators that are based on the development of appropriate new data.

• WHO, in collaboration with other partners, should facilitate the reduce the level of harmful substances in tobacco products; ands that:
  
  • ban all advertising and promotion of tobacco products, trademarks, brand names and logos;
  • create and expand smoke-free environments in enclosed public places, including health premises, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, public transport and indoor places of work; and especially all areas frequented by young people
  • ban the importation, manufacture and sale of smokeless tobacco;
  • prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors;
  • prohibit cigarette-vending machines in public places;
  • reduce the level of harmful substances in tobacco products; and
  • ensure that all tobacco products and packages (and any advertisements) are labeled with strong, factual and varied warnings.

• In support of National Plans of Action, develop and implement culturally relevant, timely and appropriate advocacy, educational and promotional campaigns and materials. The aim of these campaigns and materials should be to raise awareness and promote behavioral change among target audiences such as government officials, nongovernmental organizations, the mass media, community leaders and decision-makers, and people in settings where they live, work and play. Among other things, such campaigns and materials should focus on:
  

encouraging tobacco users to quit through the use of mass media, health professionals and other means; and preventing young people from beginning to use tobacco.

• WHO, at the global, regional and national levels, should, in collaboration with Member States and others, develop a clearer understanding of tobacco industry strategies as a basis for establishing and implementing National Plans of Action.

BACK     NEXT