WHO seeks to expand ban on cigarette advertising to adults

Member countries of the World Health Organization have agreed on the need to expand the ban on cigarette advertising from youth to adults, and to reflect the accord in the Basic Convention on Cigarette Regulations.

The agreement came in the first round of negotiations on the Basic Convention on Cigarette Regulations held in Geneva, Switzerland Oct. 16-21, with government representatives from 191 WHO member countries in attendance.

A government official said Sunday that the view that cigarette advertising should be banned not only for young people but also for adults dominated the meeting.

In the meeting, the Korean representative pointed out the seriousness of young people smoking and proposed that a phrase on the ban of sales to youth be added to cigarette packs to protect young people, the masters of the future.

The Korean delegate also suggested that anti-smoking education be conducted for young people as a national project, the official said.

Meanwhile, the representative of North Korea was learned to have said in the meeting that the North launched an effective pan-national no-smoking campaign in August, and claimed that the no-smoking question should be dealt with at the level of a social movement.