Meeting of Central Board for CSCTP: MoH UM gave an opening speech at the meeting

The meeting (1/2025) of Central Board for the Control of Smoking and Consumption of Tobacco Product was held at the Ministry of Health, Office No. (4), Meeting Hall in Nay Pyi Taw on Monday. During the meeting, the Chairman of the Central Board for the Control of Smoking and Consumption of Tobacco Product, Union Minister for Health, Professor Dr. Thet Khaing Win, delivered the opening remarks.

He highlighted that the smoking and consumption of tobacco product is a major cause of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory diseases, cancer, chronic lung diseases, and diseases related to the respiratory system.

He pointed out that worldwide, the use of tobacco product results in over 8 million deaths annually, with 1.2 million of these deaths occurring due to second-hand smoke, which is primarily affecting women and children. He emphasized that enforcing laws related to tobacco smoke-free environments is crucial, and called for special attention to law enforcement to ensure effectiveness.

Additionally, he mentioned that the Control of Smoking and Consumption of Tobacco Product Law, enacted in 2006, will be updated and amended to align with current needs.Following that, a member of the Central Board for the Control of Smoking and Consumption of Tobacco Product, Dr. Kyaw Kan Kaung, provided an update on the progress of implementing the directive on the packaging of cigar and tobacco products in accordance with established standards, including the printing of health warning images and text.

He discussed the current status of the implementation and future actions. Members and representatives of the committee engaged in a discussion and made suggestions. The Secretary of the Central Board for the Control of Smoking and Consumption of Tobacco Product, Director-General of the Department of Public Health, Dr. Myint Myint Than, presented the outcomes of the discussions. The meeting concluded with the closing remarks given by the Committee Chairman.