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I was surprised to know that New Zealand and Norway are the only
developed countries to ratify the framework convention on tobacco control
(1). According to Smoking Cessation Information Center, the Japanese
government finally signed the treaty on 9 March and will ratify it by 20
June.
Since the enactment of the Health Promotion Law on 1 May last year,
Japanese society has become stricter about environmental tobacco smoke or
passive smoking than ever before. Japan Tobacco Inc., the world's third
largest tobacco producer, has made a couple of mobile home-style trailers
named "SmoCar"(2). They say smokers can enjoy cigarettes in these
special trailers even if smoking is not permitted in the street or public
squares. I think second-hand smoke combined with exhaust gas from
"SmoCar" become a hazard to health of nonsmokers around the car.
Hiroshi Kawane
The Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing
References
(1) Burton CB. Tobacco campaigners worried by slow progress on convention.
BMJ 2004;328:1220.(22 May)
Slow progress on convention
I was surprised to know that New Zealand and Norway are the only
developed countries to ratify the framework convention on tobacco control
(1). According to Smoking Cessation Information Center, the Japanese
government finally signed the treaty on 9 March and will ratify it by 20
June.
Since the enactment of the Health Promotion Law on 1 May last year,
Japanese society has become stricter about environmental tobacco smoke or
passive smoking than ever before. Japan Tobacco Inc., the world's third
largest tobacco producer, has made a couple of mobile home-style trailers
named "SmoCar"(2). They say smokers can enjoy cigarettes in these
special trailers even if smoking is not permitted in the street or public
squares. I think second-hand smoke combined with exhaust gas from
"SmoCar" become a hazard to health of nonsmokers around the car.
Hiroshi Kawane
The Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing
References
(1) Burton CB. Tobacco campaigners worried by slow progress on convention.
BMJ 2004;328:1220.(22 May)
(2) Japan Tobacco Inc. "SmoCar."
http://www.jti.co.jp/JTI/tobacco/smocar/index.html (accessed 3 June, 2004)
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests