Amman, 12 June 2017 – Under the Patronage of H.E Minister of Health Dr Mahmoud Al-Sheyyab, the World Health Organization in Jordan, in collaboration with concerned institutions and nongovernmental organizations marked World No Tobacco Day 2017 with a media briefing in the presence of multiple media outlets in Jordan.
H.E Minister of Health announced the countdown – as of 1 July 2017 – for the enforcement of public health law and its recent amendments that forbids smoking in public places. Adherence will be monitored by more than 500 trained liaison officers. He also emphasised the importance of the tobacco control strategy and the roadmap (2017–2019) approved by the Prime Minister, as well as the launch of the tobacco control national awareness campaign.
“We all have a role to play. Individuals also have a role in making a sustainable, tobacco-free world by committing to never taking up tobacco products. Those who do use tobacco can quit the habit, or seek help in doing so. Countries should protect their populations, especially children and young people from secondhand smoke, by prohibiting smoking in public places to protect both health and the environment,” Dr Maria Cristina Profili, WHO Representative to Jordan said.
The theme of the World No Tobacco Day on 31 May 2017, is "Tobacco – a threat to development". Tobacco threatens us all. Say no to tobacco. Protect health, reduce poverty and promote sustainable development and propose measures that governments and the public should take to promote health and development by confronting the global tobacco crisis.
On World No Tobacco Day, WHO is renewing the call to governments to strengthen their tobacco control efforts, guided by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the six measures known as MPOWER. In particular, WHO calls countries to increase taxes on tobacco products, and to enforce a comprehensive ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of all tobacco products.
Read more about World No Tobacco Day
