Fakeeh Care Group reports 9M-2024 net profit of SR195.3 million, up 49% y-o-y driven by solid revenue growth and robust profitability    GASTAT: Passengers of public transport bus and train soar 176% and 33% respectively in 2023    Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power    Italy's 'Libra' to arrive in Albania with just eight migrants on board    South Africa shuts border crossing with Mozambique over poll unrest    French families sue TikTok over harmful content that allegedly led to suicides    HRT does not impact life expectancy — UK health body    Liam Payne's body to be flown back to the UK    Suspect arrested for banking fraud totaling SR493 million as Nazaha pursues corruption charges    Neymar suffers muscle tear, out for 4-6 weeks    Arab leaders and heads of state congratulate US President-elect Donald Trump    Building the future of the region's leading aviation hub Saudi Airport Exhibition 2024 to be held on Nov. 11-12    Crown Prince, Pakistan Army Chief discuss ways to enhance military cooperation    Crown Prince hails Saudi medical team that performed world's first fully robotic heart transplant    King Salman and Crown Prince congratulate Trump on winning US presidential election    Heavy Equipment and Truck Show to spotlight Tata Motors' cutting-edge mobility solutions    Al Nassr secures 5-1 victory over Al Ain to edge closer to knockout stage    Top climber falls to death after rare Himalayan feat    Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Weak Dutch tobacco controls will cost lives -experts
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 09 - 12 - 2011

Leading cancer, asthma and heart health experts accused the Dutch government on Friday of "all but closing down" its tobacco controls and said such lax policies could lead to 145,000 preventable deaths by 2040, according to Reuters.
In a letter to The Lancet medical journal, specialists from Europe, the United States and Canada said new Dutch policy moves -- including weakening smoking bans in bars and ending the reimbursement of quit-smoking aids -- would inevitably cost lives.
"Every death that ensues would not just be the responsibility of the tobacco industry, which continues to promote its lethal product, but also a government that looks the other way under the disingenuous banner of 'personal choice' and allows this to happen," the experts wrote.
Smoking causes lung cancer, which is often fatal, and other chronic respiratory diseases. It is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the world's number one killers.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that tobacco will kill nearly 6 million people worldwide this year, including more than 600,000 non-smokers who will die as a result of exposed to second-hand smoke. By 2030, it predicts that tobacco could be killing 8 million people a year.
The experts writing in the Lancet said the Netherlands had fallen out of step with the rest of Europe, and far behind countries like Australia and Uruguay where governments have taken tough action to curb the reach of the tobacco industry.
Authorities in the Netherlands, where the smoking rate is relatively high compared to other Western countries, have already relaxed existing smoke-free laws by saying they need not apply to small owner-run bars.
The Lancet letter said the government was now set to reverse a decision giving smokers who want to quit access to treatment and help.
Florence Berteletti Kemp, director of the Brussels-based Smokefree Partnership and a signatory to the Lancet letter, accused the Dutch government of "turning its back on science and on proven best practice".
"The strategies being adopted...will lead to more disease and death," she said in a statement as the letter was published.
A Dutch government spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Geoffrey Fong of the University of Waterloo in Canada, who also signed the Lancet letter, said Dutch policies were also out of line with the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, an international agreement signed by more than 170 countries -- including the Netherlands -- aimed at curbing tobacco use.
"The Dutch government is reducing the information available to consumers, refusing to introduce graphic pack warnings, and reducing assistance for smokers who want to quit," Fong said, accusing policymakers of "leaving smokers to their fate, which has been strongly determined by the highly addictive products of the tobacco industry."
Cigarette packs in the Netherlands carry warning signs saying Smoking Kills but not photographs illustrating the dangers of smoking.
Earlier this year, a Dutch study called SimSmoke2 projected the effect of tobacco policies on smoking rates and future premature deaths and found that without effective tobacco controls, almost a million lives would be cut short in the Netherlands due to smoke-related diseases between 2011 and 2040.
The experts said that of these, 145,000 lives could be saved over the same period by comprehensive tobacco controls.


Clic here to read the story from its source.