Page 12 - TAIWAN TOBACCO CONTROL ANNUAL REPORT 2019

10 Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act Background The Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Act") was promulgated on March 19, 1997 and enforced on September 19 of the same year. It underwent three amendments (the latest on January 23, 2009). Since the enforcement of the amendment on 11 January 2009, and the adult smoking rate dropped from 21.9% in 2008 to 16.4% in 2014. However, 2015 saw an increase to 17.1%. The daily smoking rate of males aged 15 years and above is 29.4%, which is about the average in Asia but is significantly higher than that of several developed areas such as Singapore (25.4%), Norway (25%), New Zealand (18.4%), and Hong Kong (18.6%). It should be pointed out that the smoking rate of males aged 31-50 years in Taiwan exceeds 40%, which has a considerable impact on national productivity. The WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and countries all over the world are jointly committed to the promotion of 100% smoke-free environments. The regulations set third article in the Convention on the Rights of the Child clearly stipulate that all actions by public and private social welfare organizations, law courts, executive and legislative agencies should aim to maximize benefits for children. Article 24 of FCTC further states that the right to health is one of the basic rights of children and that all member parties should ensure that children enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. The WHO points out in the report titled"Inheriting a sustainable world: Atlas on children's health and the environment" which was released on March 6, 2017, that the leading cause of death of young children aged 5 and below are respiratory tract infections resulting from exposure to air pollution and second-hand smoke, 570,000 children's death worldwide are attributed to these harmful air annually. E-cigarettes are addictive due to their nicotine content. They also contain carcinogens such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde and other harmful substances and pose explosion hazards and health risks. E-cigarettes are an emerging health issue and WHO recommends strict controls. The results of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the Health Promotion Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare reveal that the e-cigarette smoking rate of junior and senior high school students in Taiwan rose from 2% and 2.1% in 2014 to 3.7% and 4.8% in 2016, respectively. This represents an increase by almost 100%, which clearly indicates that the rise of e-cigarettes endangers the health of children and teenagers. A cohort survey from journal of "Pediatrics" in 2016 indicates that teenagers are six times more likely to try regular tobacco products if they have smoked e-cigarettes within the last two years. E-cigarettes are the gateway to real cigarettes. It is therefore necessary and legitimate to strengthen controls of e-cigarettes in line with the commitment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protecting the health of children and teenagers. The draft amendment to the Act has been formulated after careful review of practice and execution recommendations of central and local competent authorities and with reference to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and opinions of experts, scholars, NPOs, and the general public to perfect the Act.