UN chief urges plain packaging of tobacco products

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday urged the plain packaging of tobacco products, saying it is a "simple measure with proven effectiveness in reducing demand."

In his message to World No Tobacco Day, the secretary-general said, "Cigarettes and other tobacco products kill almost 6 million people every year."

"On World No Tobacco Day 2016, the United Nations is lending its support to one simple measure with proven effectiveness in reducing demand: the plain packaging of tobacco products," Ban said.

"As laid out in the UN tobacco control treaty, this entails restricting or prohibiting the use of logos, colours, brand images or any promotional information other than brand and product names displayed in a standard colour and font."

"Tobacco use is one of the largest causes of preventable noncommunicable diseases, including cancers, heart and lung disease," he said. "It also diverts valuable household income."

"Plain packaging reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products, restricts tobacco advertising and promotion, limits misleading labeling, and increases the effectiveness of health warnings," he said.

"On this World No Tobacco Day, I call on governments around the world to get ready for plain packaging," said the secretary-general.

Sustainable Development Goal 3 aims to "ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages," he said.

"As part of that approach, governments have committed to strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries to reduce the proportion of people who use tobacco."

Tobacco-related illness is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Approximately one person dies from a tobacco-caused disease every six seconds, equivalent to almost 6 million people a year.

This is forecast to rise to more than 8 million people a year by 2030, with more than 80 percent of these preventable deaths occurring among people living in low- and middle-income countries.

On May 15, 1987, the World Health Organization (WHO) passed a resolution, calling for April 7, 1988, to be the first World No Smoking Day. This date was chosen because it was the 40th anniversary of the World Health Organization.

On May 17, 1989, the WHO passed a resolution calling for May 31 to be annually known as World No Tobacco Day. This event has been observed each year since 1989.