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Gambia: Country is Yet to Ratify Convention On Tobacco Control, Says Gassama

"At The World Health Assembly in May 2003, the member states of the World Health Organisation (WHO) agreed on a ground breaking public health treaty to control tobacco supply and consumption." Says WHO Communications Officer, Mr. Gassama.

He noted that the text of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) covers tobacco taxation, illicit trade, advertising, sponsorship and promotion, and product regulation.

Mr. Gassama stated that the Republic of Tanzania is the latest African country to ratify the WHO frame-work Convention on Tobacco Control on the 30th of April 2007.

According to Mr. Gassama, the Gambia signed the WHO FCTC on the 16th of June 2003, but has not yet ratified it.

Mr. Gassama said one hundred million deaths were attributed to tobacco during the 20th century, mostly in developed countries. "Half of these deaths will be among those in middle-age (35-69 years old), with harmful effects on national economies".

Mr. Gassama stated that tobacco is responsible for more deaths, world wide, than any other risk factor except high blood pressure. "While total consumption of cigarettes remained stable in the developed world between 1970 and 2000, it trebled in the developing world," he said.

Over the next 25 years, total cigarette consumption will rise by 60% in countries with medium levels of Human development and by 100% in countries with low levels of human development. This latter group of nations will by then consume more tobacco than either medium or high human development countries. Mr. Gassama was quoting from the latest study on WHO tobacco consumption.

"The WHO commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH), in 2001, highlighted the link between poor health and lack of economic progress" He said.