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ASH Daily News

10 November 2006

[View html version: http://www.globalink.org/nbuk]

HEADLINES

WHO appoints new Head

Outcome of US smokefree votes

Germany bans tobacco advertising

Lung Cancer ordeal: story told during Lung Cancer Awareness month

FULL TEXT

WHO appoints new Head

Former Hong Kong health chief Margaret Chan had been elected head of the
World Health Organization. This has given China its most prestigious
United Nations post ever and a leading role in global health strategy.

Chan's nomination was endorsed by more than two thirds of the UN body's
193-strong membership. She will serve a five-and-a-half year term from
January 2007.

Chan joined the WHO three years ago and rose to Assistant Director
General in charge of communicable diseases. In her campaign for the
position, Chan said the agency should "collect timely and accurate
information" to deal with health challenges, and pledged to set up a
global health observatory.

The 59-year-old wants to work on chronic diseases such as diabetes,
heart disease, and against smoking as well as continue to fight diseases
such as polio and HIV.

Tido Von Schoen-Angerer from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF, Doctors
without borders) said that WHO must "reassert its leadership and make
sure that health has absolute priority" over trade and industrial
demands.

Source: Interactive Investor 10 November 2006
Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/ydyova


Outcome of US smokefree votes

Ohio, Arizona and Nevada will become the 15th, 16th and 17th states in
the US to implement comprehensive smokefree legislation for workers.
This includes people who work in restaurants and bars.

Joe Cherner, president of SmokeFree Educational Services, said:
"Although opponents spent more money on campaigning... it's refreshing
to see health come out on top. What a wonderful day for Ohio, Arizona
and Nevada workers who will soon be able to enjoy safe, clean air in
their workplaces."

Source: Caterer 9 November 2006
Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/yj2hzn


No more light and mild descriptors for Canada

Three major Canadian cigarette manufacturers will stop using "light" and
"mild" and other similar terms on cigarette packages. The Canadian
Competition Bureau said that the terms are deceptive.

Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited, Rothmans, Benson and Hedges Inc. and
JTI-Macdonald Corporation will each phase out these descriptors on their
brands and products by July 31, 2007, the government agency said.

"I am pleased that the tobacco companies have agreed to voluntarily
discontinue use of these descriptors in advance of anticipated
regulations requiring their removal," said competition commissioner
Sheridan Scott. Smaller cigarette manufacturers will also be asked to
stop using the terms.

The European Union and Australia have already prohibited the use of such
labels on cigarette packages.

Source: Lifestyle News 9 November 2006
Link to article:
http://news.lifestyle.co.uk/lifestyle/101803-lifestyle.htm



Germany bans tobacco advertising

The German Parliament has voted to bring an end to most forms of tobacco
advertising in the country. However, under the advertising bill,
cigarette manufacturers will still be able to advertise on billboards
and on cinema screens after 7.00 pm.

The Bill will end tobacco advertising in the print press, on television
and the internet and at sports events which are broadcast on television.


The advertising ban was highly controversial and Berlin even went to the
European Court of Justice to fight the EU directive on forbidding
tobacco advertising. The German government realised the challenge was
doomed in June when an advocate general of the court recommended
dismissing it.

Shortly afterwards, Consumer Protection Minister Horst Seehofer
announced plans to implement an advertising ban.

Source: Sharewatch 9 November 2006
Link to article: http://www.sharewatch.com/story.php?storynumber=250364




Lung Cancer ordeal: story told during Lung Cancer Awareness month

The Reading Chronicle reports on a lung cancer victim's experiences.
Sharon Higginbottom talks about her diagnosis of lung cancer during Lung
Cancer Awareness Month.

Sharon was diagnosed with the disease in August 2004. She hasn't smoked
since her teens and blames her condition on breathing in other people's
smoke - in her years working in a bar.

"I always thought you associated lung cancer with elderly men who smoke
40 cigarettes a day," she said. "I smoked when I was 18 because of peer
pressure, but I hated it. I worked in a bar for 15 years as a barmaid
and passive smoking was the reason I got lung cancer."

Sharon said: "While I was being treated for the blood clot, I had to
have a chest X-ray which showed some sort of shadow on my right lung."

She underwent an eight-week chemotherapy course. Sharon said: "I would
not wish that on anyone because I was constantly sick and I lost two
stones."

Source: The Reading Chronicle 9 November 2006
Link to article: http://tinyurl.com/ynyrhb
Lung Cancer Awareness month: http://www.roycastle.org/patient/lcam.htm

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