Japan Offspring Fund (JOF) Monthly Newsletter
Feb. 2005, No.190

* Tema issue: towards a non-smoking world The Japanese government has accepted the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which will enter into force on February 2005. The global tobacco-free initiative aims at saving lives. Currently, it is estimated that there are 1.3 billion smokers in the world. Of those, 84% live in poor countries. Currently, an estimated 4.9 million people die annually as a result of tobacco-related diseases. The most important provisions in the WHO Convention are contained in Articles 6-14, which detail the price, tax, and other measures necessary to reduce the demand for tobacco:

http://www.who.int/tobacco/framework/en/

Will Japan ever become tobacco-free?

* New Zealand bans smoking in public places We went to New Zealand, and describe how people are now enjoying a smoke-free environment in offices, restaurants, pubs and other public places. We hope Japan will also follow this good example soon!

* More graphic warning pictures needed Canada and soon also the European Union are displaying really graphic warning labels, with scary photos, on the cigarette packs. Meanwhile, in Japan, the biggest tobacco company, Japan Tobacco, still sells brands with misleading names like Mild Seven, even though the word "mild" is clearly aimed to trick consumers. As a result of the WHO convention, Japan Offspring Fund thinks such names should disappear also in Japan.

* Video: Danger! Antibiotic Resistance The new Japan Offspring Fund video is now available. Read more here:

http://tabemono.info/english/videos/videos2.html