The 5th National conference on Tobacco or Health
The 5th National conference on Tobacco or Health Title: Community Cooperating Power Eliminate the Smoke Harm
Date: June 5-6, 2006 Venue: Miracle Grand Convention Hotel, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok
Background : The Thai smoking behavior census, year 2004, derived by the National Statistical Office of Thailand, shows that the number of Thai people aged 15 years and older was 49.4 million and 11.3 million (23%) of this number were cigarette smokers. This number of cigarette smokers is a massive number which causes tremendous damage to both the economy and society.
Thailand currently has national tobacco legislation including: (1) the Tobacco Product Control Act. B.E. 2535(1992) and (2) the Non-Smokers Health Protection Act 2535 (1992). The first one emphasizes tobacco product control, tobacco advertising and promotion, and tobacco selling area restrictions. The second highlights tobacco effects impacting nonsmokers who need to be protected from smoke harms and who are known as Secondhand Smokers. Not only cigarette smokers are in danger from smoking diseases, but also secondhand smokers are also at risk from smoking harms such as lung cancer, heart disease (cardiovascular disease) and respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Although having effective tobacco control legislations, there are several restrictions resulting in unsuccessful tobacco consumption control policies indicated by high rates of smoking initiation in youth and women. The problem of smoking behavior can not be addressed by only one individual or organization. Therefore, the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Center (TRC), Mahidol University, together with the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Health Professional Network for a Smoke-free Thai Society, Non-Smoking Campaign, Thailand Health Promotion Institute, Thai National Health Public Foundation and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation supported the 5th National conference on Tobacco or Health with the title of: Community Cooperating Power Eliminate the Smoke Harms The aims of the conference were to exchange tobacco knowledge among network participants, to encourage frameworks and to drive public policies which would benefit tobacco consumption control in the future.
