On 11 April 2016, the Council of Ministers of Gabon has adopted five decrees (regulations) related to the implementation of the country's 2013 anti-tobacco act (please see details at: http://apps.who.int/fctc/implementation/database/sites/implementation/files/documents/reports/gabon_annex3_anti_tobacco_act_2013.pdf).
The regulations cover the following areas:
At its sixth session in Moscow, 2014, the Conference of the Parties recognized smokeless tobacco use as a global health problem. Smokeless tobacco is a risk factor of many non-communicable diseases, and the Conference of the Parties, in its decision, emphasised the importance of developing and enforcing policies on this matter. Consequently, Parties felt the need to establish a global knowledge hub to support the work of controlling smokeless tobacco use.
On 5 April 2016, the Minister of Information issued a ministerial decision banning all forms of tobacco advertising and promotion that could be read, seen, listened to, including those published in electronic media. This means that all radio stations, TV channels, newspapers and online publishing houses in the Sultanate are now prohibited from advertising any form of tobacco products. The ministerial decision was published in the Official Gazette on 10 April 2016 and entered into force on the day after.
The Peruvian Ministry of Health launched the report of the needs assessment jointly undertaken by the Government of Peru and the Convention Secretariat (WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) on 29 September 2015. The report presents an analysis on the progress, challenges and needs encountered in the implementation of the WHO FCTC, and the recommendations that will help the country meet its obligations under the Convention. The Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) participated at the event.
The Australian Government Post-Implementation Review of Tobacco Plain Packaging has been released on 26 February 2016.
The Cabinet of the European Ombudsman notified the Convention Secretariat of its new and strengthened policy regarding interactions with the tobacco industry, adopted by the institution in September 2015.
These measures are aligned with Article 5.3 of the Convention and its implementation guidelines, and aim at limiting interactions with the tobacco industry and ensuring full transparency if any interactions occur.
For details concerning this policy please visit:
A smoking ban inside malls is now implemented in Kuwait. Smokers who violate this ban will be fined KD 50 to KD 100. This penalty will be applied to all smoking gadgets including electronic cigarettes. Store or restaurant owners inside malls will be fined KD 5,000 if they allow their customers to smoke in their facility.
Affordable and quality healthcare for the elderly and the disabled is a moral and legal imperative, which has been reflected in the Republic of Palau's Constitution and the National Healthcare Financing Act. On 17 February 2016, the Honorable Palau President Remengesau signed the law RPPL 9-57, which allocates ten percent of the revenues derived from import tax on alcoholic beverages and excise tax on tobacco to pay for the healthcare coverage subscription costs of non-working citizens who are either over the age of 60 or disabled.
At its meeting on 17 February 2016, the Ministerial Council adopted the draft law that will authorise the President to ratify the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
Despite strong opposition from the tobacco industry, the Ukrainian President has signed a new law, which will increase specific excise rate on cigarettes by 40% and ad valorem excise rate by 20%. This law will be in effect on 1 January 2016 and has the intent of reducing Ukraine's mortality attributable to tobacco use.
According to the Oxford University estimates Ukraine had 60,965 tobacco-related deaths in 2010. In 2015 42% of males and 9% of females smoked daily in Ukraine..