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Heartline Magazine July - September 2005
Towards a tobacco free World Cup
Cricket World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean is expected to
attract the interest of and be viewed by millions throughout the cricket loving
world over a short and concentrated period of time and strenuous efforts are now
being made to ensure that the event will be free of cigarette smoke and tobacco.
To this end the Heart Foundation of Barbados has joined with NCPADD and other
agencies in calling on the managing bodies of this coming major sporting event
to put measures in place to prohibit smoking and the sale of cigarettes in
cricket grounds and other venues associated with the matches.
This is in keeping with the trend by sporting bodies around
the world to ban smoking at their events. FIFA banned adverting in 1986 and the
International Olympic Committee, (IOC), followed suit in 1988. FIFA and IOC
declared their plans for smoke free environments in stadiums in 2000 for the
Football World Cup in Japan and Korea and the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
UEFA banned tobacco company sponsorship in 1987 and smoking in stadiums in 2003.
Scottish Rugby Union banned smoking in 2004.
The Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2003 was smoke-free
at all venues.
In 2003, the World Health Assembly, of which all Caribbean
countries are signatories, approved the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC), which offers protection from tobacco smoke in public places and
prohibits tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. The FCTC ratification
process which started in 2004 has so far been completed by sixty-six countries.
Research by Dr. Anthony Lwegaba, of the UWI School of
Clinical Medicine, has clearly shown that claims by the tobacco industry that it
provides economic benefits to a country’s revenue and helps sport through
sponsorship are not substantiated and that the harm caused by smoking more than
counterbalances any economic benefits from tobacco revenue.
Smokers admitted to hospital in Barbados cost twice as much
as non-smokers to treat, and 1,500 such admissions would be sufficient to wipe
out all the tobacco tax revenue in Barbados.
Most visitors to the Caribbean come from countries where it
is now normal not to smoke in public entertainment places. Locally, support for
smoke free areas is becoming overwhelming both among smokers and non-smokers. A
survey conducted by the Barbados Ministry of Health in 2003 indicated that 89%
of the population was for banning smoking at sports and entertainment
facilities.
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