RI adopts pact to protect nonsmokers

RI adopts pact to protect nonsmokers

JAKARTA: Indonesia has signed the Gyeongju Declaration on
tobacco control among Asia-Pacific countries in a bid to protect
nonsmokers.

"The declaration calls upon governments, business and
individuals in Asia to protect nonsmokers from exposure to
secondhand smoke and end all forms of direct and indirect tobacco
advertisements," said pulmonologist Tjandra Yoga Aditama.

Tobacco is a major cause of death in the Asia-Pacific region,
killing more than 5,000 people each day. Some 52 percent of the
world's cigarettes are sold in Asia, while many Asian countries
lack comprehensive laws on protection for nonsmokers.

The declaration capped the seventh Asia-Pacific Conference on
Tobacco (APACT) held in Gyeongju, South Korea, from Sept. 15 to
Sept. 18. --JP