Total ban on tobacco advertisements

MUSCAT, April 8 - Advertisements of tobacco products or derivatives in print, audio, billboards or any other platforms now stand banned in the Sultanate. A decision in this regard was issued by the Minister of Information after amending certain provisions of the executive regulations of the Press and Publications Law. The edict is based on the Publications Law issued by Royal Decree No 49/84 and the Royal Decree No 20/2005 approving the Sultanate’s accession to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco. According to WHO, ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship can be one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco consumption. Terming the decision ‘excellent’, Dr Zahid al Mandhari, Deputy Director, National Oncology Centre, said, “It’s a positive step. We have to discourage the use of tobacco because it causes cancer.” Ban on tobacco advertisements will help reduce the number of diseases caused by tobacco, he told the Observer. “The decision will go a long way in combating the use of tobacco in the country, thus helping reduce the chances of lung cancer. It will also help fight many other health hazards,” Dr Zahid, who is also Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology, added. According to the Ministry of Health, cancer is the third leading cause of death in the country. Lung cancer, a disease in which 97 per cent of those diagnosed are smokers, is expected to become the most common form of cancer in Oman in the next five years. Although Oman remains a country with the lowest tobacco use in the Gulf states, the prevalence of tobacco use is projected to increase to 33.3 per cent by 2025. Referring to the ban, Dr Yousuf al Mullah, General Surgeon at the Ministry of Health, said, it is an ideal sort of action. “It is not only good for the health of the community altogether, but also bodes well for the coming generation,” he said. While the ban on advertising will lead to fewer addictions by young people and the next generation, it will also help in reducing a number of diseases associated with it, he noted. He suggested that the government take appropriate steps to ensure that tobacco and its products do not reach children. Dr Praveen Kumar, Senior Cardiologist Consultant at Kims Hospital, described the ban as a “the right direction”. “It will help reduce the use of tobacco use in the country. It will help prevent many people from falling victims to deadly cardiovascular diseases,” he said. WHO estimates that tobacco will kill more than eight million people every year, with four out of five of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries by 2030. “Tobacco is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases,” the global agency says in a report.