Countries resolve to check e-cigarettes, hookah

Recognising the adverse impact of e-cigarettes which are a new craze along with hookah joints among tobacco users, India and other countries of South-East Asian region today vowed to take measures to check their use including imposing ban.
Participating in the regional meeting of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), various nations also were unanimous in admitting that hookah/water pipe is a health hazard and agreed to take appropriate measures to prevent their use, besides also introducing strong legislations and regulations to control the use of smokeless tobacco.
Agreeing to take appropriate legislative, administrative and regulatory measures to prevent the use of water pipes (hookah), countries of this region were unanimous on the fact that smokeless tobacco including use of areca nut poses serious public health problems due to its high use.

Due to high prevalence of its use, the wide diversity, the social acceptance of its use and lack of awareness of its adverse health consequences, they called for introducing strong legislations and regulations to control the use of smokeless tobacco.
The recommendations made today are in line with obligations under Article 5.2(b) of the WHO FCTC to prevent and reduce nicotine addiction including through banning E- cigarettes or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).
The 4-day Regional Meeting on Implementation of WHO FCTC for South-East Asia Region was held here from July 23 and concluded today.

The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with WHO SEARO and Secretariat of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), with technical assistance by WHO Country Office.

The key objectives of the meeting were to review implementation of WHO FCTC and major developments related to the treaty in the region and internationally and to facilitate inter country exchanges on implementation achievements and challenges, including identification of the best practices and the ways of further promoting their dissemination and use.
The participants of the meeting included representatives from 10 South East Asian Countries - India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Indonesia, Thailand, Timor Leste and Sri Lanka, besides those from World Bank, World Customs Organization (WCO), UNDP, Framework Convention Alliance (FCA).