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