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EDITORIALS: Fiona Godlee WHO faces up to its tobacco links BMJ 2000; 321: 314-315 [Full text]

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WHO faces up to its tobacco links

Waleed A Rashid   (11 August 2000)

WHO faces up to its tobacco links 11 August 2000
Waleed A Rashid Send response to journal: Re: WHO faces up to its tobacco links	Dear Editor - Fiona Godlee has pointed out that the current increase in smoking level in the developing countries is due to the poor quality of anti-tobacco advice provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (1). I totally agree that the WHO should put more resources into reducing smoking habits in the developing countries. In addition tobacco companies should have no influence on WHO's decisions. However, as far as I am concerned, it is not only the WHO which may be responsible for the endemic state of smoking in developing countries but there are other factors that lead to the current conditions in these countries. The political and economic situation of the country undoubtedly has a tremendous effect on the import and export trade in the developing countries. A country with low socio-economic status is prone to all kinds of trade, due to the needs of the people of these countries. For instance Kurdistan, a region independent from Iraq after the Gulf war, has a very active tobacco trade. The people of Kurdistan tried to build their economy through the easiest and quickest way, after more than a century of fighting for their freedom. Tobacco companies have exploited these opportunities for their own interest in order to capitalise their business in the developing world. The victims of this are the ordinary people of these countries. I think every human being should think of health as the first issue to be addressed, not the last to be mentioned. The governments of developing countries are also to be blamed for not to having a well-organised health system. The health policies of the developing countries are in a very primitive stage. By this I mean that public health practitioners of these countries concentrate more on the prevention and control of endemic diseases rather than forming a strategy for smoking reduction. It is a fact that smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer and coronary heart disease but people of developing countries often do not believe these facts or may not even have heard them. That is why I suggest that public health professionals run voluntary educational programs for people of developing countries. This would be of great benefit as an aid to the health of developing countries. These programmes should point out the risks of smoking and give advice on how to stop smoking. To conclude I think that there are several factors that lead to the lack of preventative measures which, in turn, causes an increase in smoking amongst society. The governments and people of the developing countries should share ideas with other public health professionals in order to move towards a more healthy society. Possible initiatives could include a national smoking-reduction policy, tax on tobacco, age limits for tobacco sale and a ban of tobacco advertising in the media. The WHO and health professionals should not be alone in helping the developing countries; other international voluntary organisations could provide invaluable support by addressing smoking as part of their aid programme. Dr Waleed A. Rashid SHO in Public Health Medicine Walsall Health Authority 1-Godlee F. WHO faces up to its tobacco links. BMJ; No 7257; August 00; 314-315