Health Promotion ;tobacco Control

n 1960s, the smoking rate of Japanese males was over 80% and that of females was over 15 %.  In 50 years, the smoking rate of males has dropped to less than 40 % and the rate of females has decreased to around 12%.  However, the number of young female smokers is increasing rapidly, while the rate of adult male smokers is decreasing.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has been enforced in Japan since February 7th, 2005.  Beforehand the international regulation, “The Health Promotion Law” had enforced on May, 2003, in which passive smoking was defined and prescribed to provide protection for that.  The biggest incomplete point of this law is that it does not carry penalty.

     The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has led a governmental policy named “Health Japan 21” from 2000 for the following ten years.  In that, four goals for tobacco control were indicated;

1. Increase knowledge on the detrimental effects of smoking
2. Eliminate smoking by minors
3. Separation of smokers and non-Smokers in public places
4. Support programs for smokers hoping to stop

Except the decrease of the smoking rate of the minors, they are not highly evaluated.

     Besides neither positive nor effective central governmental policy, more than 100 cities have regulated street smoking ban in their city bylaws with a penalty and the tendency is spreading.  Even though most of the bylaws do not mention health of the citizen but cleanliness of the roads, it conduces a restriction on tobacco use.

     October, 2010, tobacco prices have risen 30% up and the sale went 30% down but by June, 2011 the sale have recovered to 90%.  The sum of risen price was consequently not enough for many smokers to give up smoking forever.