Nepal Bans Smoking in Public Places
PHOTO: GLOBALink
E-LAW U.S. is helping protect people all over the world from tobacco. In Bangladesh and Uganda, E-LAW U.S. helped partners win similar court victories for smoke-free air.
Prakash Mani Sharma, Executive Director of Pro Public in Nepal, has worked for ten years to protect Nepalese from the dangers of tobacco. In 1997, he asked E-LAW U.S. for help with a Supreme Court case seeking restrictions on tobacco advertising in Nepal`s media.
To make the case for smoke-free air, E-LAW partners need scientific information documenting the hazards of tobacco as well as model tobacco laws from around the world. E-LAW U.S. provided Prakash with critical resources, including information on the effects of advertising on cigarette consumption and teenage smoking, U.S. federal regulations on tobacco advertising, and tobacco use regulations from around the world.
The recent Nepal Supreme Court victory not only banned smoking in public places, but also imposed restrictions on tobacco advertising and ordered public education campaigns on the dangers of tobacco use. The court order must be enforced within one year.
Secondhand Smoke is Deadly
Secondhand smoke contains a complex mixture of over 200 poisons, including more than 43 chemicals that are known cancer-causing agents.
| Chemical | Commonly Found In |
|---|---|
| Acetone | Nail Polish |
| Acetylene | Fuel For Torches |
| Ammonia | Window Cleaner |
| Arsenic | Deadly Poison |
| Benzene | Pesticides/Fuel |
| Butane | Gasoline |
| Cadmium | Batteries |
| Carbon Monoxide | Auto Exhaust |
| Cyanide | Rat Poison |
| Formaldehyde | Embalming Fluid |
| Lead | Paint |
| Methanol | Antifreeze |
| Nicotine | Insecticide |
| Phenol | Disinfectants |
| Propylene Glycol | De-icer |
| Toluene | Paint Thinner |
| Urethane | Solvent |
American Lung Association of Oregon 
[www.lungoregon.org]
Prakash spoke about the Nepal victory with the Indo Asian News Service:
"I welcome the verdict … This is something that the government ought to have done years ago … The ban would come as a reprieve for people compelled to be passive smokers. A healthy younger generation would mean a strong nation." (June 14, 2006)
Pro Public Attorney Raju Prasad Chapagai says nearly one-third of Nepalese children are exposed to secondhand smoke, and low-income families can spend as much as 10% of their household income on tobacco products. Every year nearly 15,000 people die of tobacco-related diseases in Nepal.
In 1992 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classified secondhand tobacco smoke as a "Group A" carcinogen, with no level of safe exposure. Advocates in the U.S. have worked hard to put in place federal and state regulations protecting citizens from secondhand smoke. Now E-LAW U.S. is helping advocates around the world replicate victories over tobacco.
E-LAW U.S. helped partners at the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) win a Supreme Court victory for clean air. In response to a case filed by BELA in 2000, the Bangladesh Supreme Court ordered a ban on smoking in public places, placed restrictions on tobacco advertising, and required that warning labels in local languages be printed on cigarette packs.
In Uganda, E-LAW U.S. worked with attorney Phillip Karugaba and his organization, The Environmental Action Network, to win a High Court victory in 2002 banning smoking in public places. Uganda is one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to impose such a ban.
Following the victory, Phillip said: "E-LAW is where it all began. You gave me the cases and the support. You made it happen."
E-LAW U.S. congratulates Prakash and the staff at Pro Public for their recent victory for the health of all Nepalese. We are pleased that our work protecting the people of Nepal, Bangladesh, and Uganda from deadly secondhand smoke is reverberating around the globe.