Page 139 - TAIWAN TOBACCO CONTROL ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Tobacco Information Declaration System on November 16, 2014. The System will allow tobacco manufacturers and importers to independently upload information that may be disclosed to the public. Since the opening of the website in April 2010 to 2018, the total number of visitor is 306,714, and the number of visitors in 2018 alone is 14,322. International Exchange International collaboration in the field of tobacco hazards prevention policies The WHO points out that over 7 million people worldwide die of smoking related diseases each year generating enormous economic costs. Incurred health care expenses and productivity losses amount to 1.4 trillion USD. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was ratified in 2003 to curb tobacco hazards worldwide. Regulatory efforts focus on measures to reduce the demand and supply of tobacco. In 2008, the WHO proposed the MPOWER tobacco control policy package which encompasses 6 key strategies and serves as a guideline for tobacco control practices in all member countries. As a result of the promotion of various tobacco control strategies in Taiwan, smoking rates of adults, teenagers, and seniors have decreased significantly. However, it is worth pointing out that the smoking rate of aborigines is close to 30% according to the 2016 survey. In addition, the exposure rate of non-smoking females to second-hand smoke at home within the last week is higher than non-smoking males. In conclusion, there is still room for improvement or relevant tobacco control strategies. Domestic experts in the field of tobacco control are trained and long-term cooperative relationships with international scholars are encouraged in response to regulations set forth in the FCTC convention in order to bring Taiwan in sync with international trends. Cross-border academic research, exchange, and collaboration regarding tobacco hazards prevention related issues serves the purpose of an all-out review of the results of tobacco control in Taiwan and provision of policy recommendations. Academic presentations and publications enhance the international visibility of relevant results in Taiwan. 137 Research, Monitoring, and International Exchange