WTO confrrmed U.S ban on Kretek Cigarettes

Every year, Indonesia exports Kretek/Clove flavored cigarettes to other countries at a value of US$ 500 million, a fifth of which go to the United States. 

On June 2009, the U.S government issued a Tobacco regulation that ban Indonesian Kretek/Clove flavored cigarettes from entering the U.S market.

This regulation was designed to prevent teenagers in the U.S from starting to smoke cigarettes..

The Indonesian government claimed that this regulation was discriminatory because it only outlawed Kretek/ Clove flavored cigarettes but not Menthol flavored cigarettes. Due to which fact, on April 2010 the Indonesian  government filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Bloomberg reported that on 2 September, WTO has rejected Indonesia's complaint saying that there is extensive scientific evidence supporting that the ban of Kretek/Clove and other flavored cigarettes could reduce youth smoking.

However, WTO said that the ban is inconsistent with the national treatment obligation because it accords Kretek/Clove-flavored-cigarettes less favorable treatment than that accorded to Menthol-flavored cigarettes.

Considering that the Kretek cigarette industry employs around six million labors in Indonesia, I hope that the above WTO's decision would not be followed by other countries. 

World No Tobacco Day 2011

Poster :  Courtesy of World Heath Organization (WHO)

World No Tobacco Day 2010

On 31st May each year, the World Health Organization celebrates the World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the health risks associated with the use of tobacco and advocating for effective policies to reduce consumption. Tobacco use is the second cause of death globally (after Hypertension) and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults worldwide.  

The theme for this year's World No Tobacco Day is Gender and Tobacco, with an emphasis on marketing to women. WHO will use the day to draw particular attention to the harmful effects of tobacco marketing and smoke on women and girls.

The World Health Assembly created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and its lethal effects. It provides an opportunity to highlight specific tobacco control messages and to promote adherence to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Tobacco use is the number one preventable epidemic that the health community faces.

Related links

- World No Tobacco Day site
- WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative
- More about tobacco abuse and control

Source:  World Health Organization (WHO)

 

No Smoking in Bogor

In connection with the World's No Tobacco Day on 31 May 2010, the Municipality of Bogor, West Java, will impose a strict No-Smoking Regulation.

According to Kompas, said regulation would cover public places, working places, worship places, children playground, health and sports facilities. Beside, there will not be anymore Smoking Rooms in public places. People who are caught smoking in those places would be punished with three days imprisonment or fined of up to One Million Rupiah.

Now the regulation is being socialized to the public. And according to local health officials, a recent survey shows that 91% of Bogor citizens support this regulation.

As a person who has stopped smoking for around 15 years, the above regulation is really good for me. However,  I hope that the authorities in Bogor would also study the implementation of similar regulation in Jakarta which was imposed around one year ago, but with doubtful result, due to weak law enforcement.