.... the brain is not a vessel to be filled,
It is something to be IGNITED

It's possible to finish tobacco

Hong Kong: November 2006:- The international conference for the Prevention of Tobacco Induced Diseases (ICPTiD) at Hong Kong seems to be covering new grounds in tobacco control. For the first time in any International conference, the discussion about phasing out tobacco by buying out tobacco companies was discussed. Initiating the debate, Mr. Hemant Goswami presented his paper on the "Future Possibilities in policy and legislative measures to phase out tobacco".

Making a case for phasing out tobacco, Mr. Goswami questioned that how come a consumer product which kills five million people worldwide still enjoys the status of a legal product. The presentation also mentioned about a number of possibilities to finally phase out tobacco including licensing of all tobacco processes and a possibility of nationalization of the tobacco industry supported by a proper legislation.

The presentation further highlighted that the interest of all stake holders can be addressed and at the same time tobacco can also be phased out in a pre-defined time span. "The present tobacco control efforts are insufficient which reflects in the fact that even if all the tobacco control initiatives were successful, still 500 million people will die due to tobacco use by 2050. We must find a solution to tobacco problem within our lifetime and not wait for the death of one billion people likely to die from tobacco this century. Unfortunately despite all the tobacco control efforts and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) there was no clear visualization and/or attempts to ultimately finish tobacco as a consumer product", Hemant emphasized. 

"It is possible to finish tobacco as a consumer product and it must be done now," that was the message delivered loud and clear.

It's for the first time that ICPTiD is being held in Asia. The conference saw involvement of medical and other health professionals, scientists, public health researchers and policy-makers from across the world. The conference has been organised by the University of Hong Kong and supported by many Government departments and health related NGOs. The conference was followed by a workshop which concluded on November 28, 2006.

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