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MESSAGE FROM
HON. DAMIAN E. GREAVES
MINISTER FOR HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND FAMILY AFFAIRS
ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD NO-TOBACCO DAY - MAY 31,2003
SALUTATIONS!
ONCE AGAIN IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO SPEAK ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD NO
TOBACCO DAY, OBSERVED ANNUALLY ON MAY 31. MEMBER STATES OF THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION (WHO) COLLUDE TO FOCUS ON THE THEME "TOBACCO FREE FILMS. TOBACCO
FREE FASHION. ACTION!" THIS YEAR THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION’S INSIGHT ON THE
IMPACT OF FILM AND FASHION IN PROMOTING TOBACCO SMOKING HAS PROMPTED NEW ACTION
- A CALL FOR THE FILM AND FASHION INDUSTRIES TO STOP PROMOTING TOBACCO.
EACH YEAR THE PHENOMENAL GROWTH OF THE PURSE USED TO FINANCE PROMOTION OF
TOBACCO IN FILMS IS AN ESTIMATE OF THE VALUE PLACED ON THE BENEFITS TO THE
TOBACCO GIANTS. THE USE OF BRAND PLACEMENTS IN MOVIES HAS BECOME A POPULAR
PRACTICE AMONG TOBACCO COMPANIES. THE IMPACT ON THE YOUTH IS DEVASTATING. IN
EVERY RESEARCH OR STUDY CONDUCTED ON THE IMPACT OF TOBACCO ADVERTISING IN FILM
THE RESULTS SUGGEST THE BEHAVIOUR IS HIGHLY INFLUENCED AND AS SUCH THE YOUTH ARE
MORE THAN LIKELY TO ADOPT THE SMOKING HABIT.
ANTI-SMOKING ADVOCATES HAVE ENDURED IN A LONG AND CHALLENGING BATTLE TO CURB THE
EFFECTS OF SMOKING, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE CONTINUOUSLY EXPOSED TO
SECONDHAND SMOKE. EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD, SUCH AS DAILY CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS
AGAINST TOBACCO GIANTS ARE MAKING GROUND. SOME COMPANIES ARE FEELING THE
PRESSURE.
I KA BAN MWEN ANCHAY PLÉZI POU ADWÉSÉ ‘W ASOU
LOKAZYON JOUNEN KONT FIMEN KI LATE-A KA OBZÉVÉ TOU-LE’-ZANNÉ LI TWANTENYEN MAY.
TÉM-LA LANNÉ SALA, SÉ, POTWÉ SAN TABAK EK FASHION SAN TABAK. I LÉ POU AKSYON.
SA VLÉ DI, OGANNIZASYON SANTÉ LATÉ-A KA MÉTÉ ANCHAY ANTANSYON ASOU SÉ GO BIZNIS-LA
KI KA POUSÉ ZAFÉ FIMEN AN-POTWÉ TELIVIZYON ÉK FASHION.
SÉ GO BIZNIS KI KA PÓDWI TABAK KA FÉ HO-TO-TO LAJAN EK AN MENM-DI-TAN-AN KA
DÉTWI SÉ JENNES-LA AN PATIKILÉ KI KA ADOPTÉ VYÉ MÉS SALA.
I NI ANCHAY TAN DÉPI BATAY-LA KONT FIMEN KOUMANSÉ ÉK I PAKAY DOUBOUT ÉSPWÉSIMAN
POU PWÉZÉVÉ LAVI MOUN KI KA AFEKTE PA LAFIMEN SIGAWÉT LÓT MOUN. SÉ POU SA ANCHAY
SÉ GO BIZNIS AN LENDOSTWI SIGAWET-LA.
THE HALLMARK OF ALL EFFORTS TO CURB TOBACCO DEATHS AND DISEASE IS THE UNANIMOUS
ADOPTION OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL (FCTC) BY MEMBER STATES
OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). THIS GLOBAL INITIATIVE IS THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL TREATY NEGOTIATED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE WHO. IT IS THE FIRST
OF ITS KIND EVER DESIGNED TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND WELL BEING ON AN
INTERNATIONAL BASIS. ACCORDING TO THE OUTGOING DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANISATION, DR. GRO HARLEM BRUNTLAND,
"WE ARE ACTING TO SAVE BILLIONS OF LIVES AND PROTECT PEOPLE’S HEALTH FOR
GENERATIONS TO COME. THIS IS AN HISTORIC MOMENT IN GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH,
DEMONSTRATING THE INTERNATIONAL WILL TO TACKLE A THREAT TO HEALTH HEAD ON".
SAINT LUCIA WAS IN THE FOREFRONT OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR THIS TREATY AND IN FACT
PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE WITHIN THE REGION OF THE AMERICAS. THROUGH THIS TREATY WE
ARE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP NEW GUIDELINES AND A MORE MODERN LEGAL FRAMEWORK, WHICH
WILL DIRECT THE USE OF TOBACCO AND RELATED PRODUCTS IN THIS COUNTRY. MY MINISTRY
HAS BEEN IN CONSTANT DIALOGUE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND SOON FROM
NOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE LEGISLATION ON TOBACCO USE, WHICH I HOPE TO TABLE IN
PARLIAMENT.
OUR EFFORTS DO NOT STOP HERE AS MY MINISTRY THROUGH THE BUREAU OF HEALTH
EDUCATION AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING COMMUNITY ARE CONTINUING TO EDUCATE THE
PUBLIC ON THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SMOKING. TO DATE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES HAVE
BEEN ADOPTED IN BANNING SMOKING IN ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS INCLUDING HEALTH
INSTITUTIONS ON THE ISLAND.
IN 2000 THE BUREAU OF HEALTH EDUCATION CONDUCTED THE SURVEY OF SAINT LUCIAN
IN-SCHOOL YOUTH TO ASCERTAIN THE PREVALENCE OF TOBACCO SMOKING. THE RESULTS OF
THE SURVEY INDICATED INTER-ALIA THAT 35% HAD SMOKED CIGARETTES AND 14% WERE
CURRENTLY USING SOME FORM OF TOBACCO. THE SURVEY RESULTS ALSO INDICATED THAT
EXPOSURE TO TOBACCO SMOKE WAS VERY HIGH. MORE THAN HALF OF THE 1737 RESPONDENTS
SAID THAT THEY WERE EXPOSED TO SECONDHAND SMOKE IN AREAS OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES
WHILE A LITTLE LESS THAN A QUARTER WERE EXPOSED AT HOME.
ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT PERSONS ARE INITIATED INTO THE SMOKING HABIT IN
THEIR EARLY ADULT YEARS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR PERPETUITY OF INCREASED
TOBACCO RELATED DISEASES IN SAINT LUCIA IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. AS ONE WHO
OFFICIAL PUTS IT "WE ARE ACTING TO SAVE BILLIONS OF LIVES AND PROTECT PEOPLE’S
HEALTH FOR GENERATIONS TO COME… WE MUST DO OUR UTMOST TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR A “HEALTHY LIFE".
APWÉZAN PLIZYÉ PÉYI KI MANM ORGANNIZASYON POU SANTÉ LATÉ-A (WHO), JA ADOPTE AN
PLAN POU BÉSÉ LIMOWO MOUN KI KA PÉD LAVI YO PA LAFIMEN TABAK. SA SÉ PWÉMYÉ FWA
WHO ADOPTÉ AN PLAN KON SA, POU POTÉGÉ LAVI EK SANTE MOUN OWON LATÉ-A.
SILON DWEKTE JENNEWAL, WHO, DOKTE GRO HARLEM BRUNTLAND”
“ NOU KA TWAVAY POU SOVÉ ANPIL LAVI ÉK POU POTÉJÉ JENNEWASYON AN TAN KI KA VINI.
SA SÉ AN GO MOUMAN AN ZAFE SANTE PIBLIK OWON LATE-A. SA KA MOUTJWÉ AN ANTANSYON,
POU GOUMEN AN MENAS KONT SANTÉ LA MENM”.
MINIS SANTÉ SENT LISI JA PATISIPÉ AN TOUTE DISIZYON POU GOUMEN KONT ZAFÉ KI KA
ENKOUWAGÉ FIMEN SIGAWÉT. NOU JA TJENN PAWOL ÉPI BIWO AVOKA GOUVIDMAN ÉK TOU SWIT,
NOU KAY NI LWA KI KA GOUVENE MANNYÉ MOUN KA SÉVI TABAK/SIGAWET. MÉ NOU PA KA
DOUBOUT LA SÉLMAN. NOU KA KONTINÉ ENDIKÉ PIBLIK-LA ASOU DANJE LAFIMEN SIGAWET ÉK
DEJA, NOU JA MÉTÉ WÉG POU DÉFYÉ MOUN FIMEN AN BATISMAN PIBLIK ÉK PLAS POU SÉVIS
SANTÉ OWON PEYI-A.
AN LANNÉ DE MIL, BIWO ENDIKASYON AN MINIS SANTÉ FÉ WICHACH ASOU JENNES LÉKOL POU
DÉTÉWMINÉ SI YO KA FIMEN SIGAWET. I MOUTJWÉ KI, TWANT-SENK POUSAN JA FIMEN
SIGAWET, PADAN KATOZ POUSAN KA SEVI NÉPÓT KALTÉ TABAK….TOUJOU!
SA KA MOUTJWÉ KI, ANCHAY JENNES KA PWAN LABITID FIMEN BONNÉ ÉK SA PÉ MÉTÉ TOUT
LAVI YO AN WIS POU DANJÉWÉ MALADI KON KANSÉ.
WE AT THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND FAMILY AFFAIRS RECOGNIZE THAT
WE ARE UNABLE TO MAKE THE DESIRED IMPACT OF REDUCING THE PREVALENCE OF SMOKING
ALONE. MY MINISTRY WILL OF NECESSITY COLLABORATE WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH AND SPORTS, MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, THE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SECRETARIAT AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. IN THIS RESPECT
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SPECIFIC MENTION OF THE SAINT LUCIA CANCER SOCIETY WHICH
HAS OVER THE YEARS, GONE THROUGH GREAT LENGTHS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND
INDEED A LIFE WITHOUT TOBACCO OR SMOKING.
THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR PRESENTS US WITH MANY CHALLENGES DESPITE THE FACT THAT
WE HAVE NO INFLUENCE ON THE FILM, MOVIE OR MAJOR SPONSORSHIP DEALS FOR SPORTS BY
TOBACCO GIANTS. NONETHELESS, WE REMAIN VULNERABLE SINCE NEW MARKETING TACTICS
ARE DIRECTED MORE TOWARDS YOUTH AND IN PARTICULAR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHERE
THE MOVIE ICONS MAKE BIG IMPACT. TRADITIONALLY, TOBACCO COMPANIES MAINTAIN THAT
THEY DO NOT TARGET YOUTH, BUT THE MARKET LOGIC FOR SELLING TO TEENAGERS IS
OVERPOWERING. FOR EXAMPLE, MARKETING EXECUTIVES SET OUT TO PRESENT CIGARETTES AS
PART OF ADULTHOOD INITIATION. ANOTHER EXECUTIVE WROTE THAT HITTING THE YOUTH
COULD BE MORE EFFICIENT EVEN THOUGH THE COST OF REACHING THEM IS HIGHER, BECAUSE
THEY ARE MORE WILLING TO EXPERIMENT.
NOU AN MINIS SALA SAV NOU PA KA FÉ ASÉ POU BÉSÉ LIMOWO MOUN KI KA FIMEN, ME NOU
KAY TWAVAY ANSANM AVEC LOT MINIS KON ENDIKASYON ÉK JENNES, ZAFÉ BIZNIS, BIWO
KONT DWÓG ÉK LOT OGANNISASYON KON SOSYÉTÉ KANSÉ SENT LISI KI JA FÉ ANCHAY TWAVAY
POU ENDIKÉ MOUN ASOU BON LAVI SANTÉ. MAGWÉ NOU KA FÉ TOUT EFÓ SALA, CHONJÉ NOU
KA GOUMEN KONT GO BIZNIS SIGAWÉT KI KA FÉ TOUT SA YO PÉ POU FÉ PÓFI ASOU SANTÉ
NOU, JENNES AN PATIKILÉ. MENM SI YO DI YO PAKA ENFLOUANSÉ JENNES, YO KA FÉ SA AN
POTWÉ TELIVIZYON, PISKI, YO SAV SÉ JENNÉS-LA ENMEN SA.
ALÓ, NOU NI AN WÉSKONSABILITÉ POU WIDJEKTÉ VYÉ KONMISYON SÉ JAN TELIVIZON AN
TOUT BELTÉ’Y ÉK PWEZANTÉ AN PLI MÉYÉ LAVI BON SANTÉ, SAN FIMEN.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY THEREFORE IS TO DISCOUNT THE PORTRAYALS OF GLAMOUR AND
ASSOCIATED ACCOMPLISHMENT BY THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY AND PRESENT THE IDEAL
ALTERNATIVE USING POSITIVE INFERENCES OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. WE MUST BECOME MORE
INNOVATIVE WITH OUR MARKETING TECHNIQUES IF WE ARE TO REDUCE TOBACCO CONSUMPTION
AND REDUCE EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND SMOKE.
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