BRIEF HISTORY
The Asia Pacific region has the highest number of tobacco consumption globally. With the economic and demographic growth, the region has become a crucial market and prime target for transnational tobacco industries on expanding business. The rigorous marketing efforts of Tobacco Industry have brought concerns to health and development advocates in the region that led the formation of Asia Pacific Association for Control of Tobacco (APACT). In line World Conference on Tobacco or Health, executive member of APACT organized biennial meetings named Asia Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health (APACT).
The first APACT was held in Taipei on June 12th 1989. Since then, APACT has developed and become a regional forum to exchange and share strategies, experiences and research, as well as to gain and strengthen networks in tobacco control among Asia Pacific countries.
APACT bring together the region’s high-level delegates and key stakeholders to co-create holistic solutions, to facilitate partnerships, and to share best practices to the global tobacco control challenge towards ending the tobacco epidemic.
THE 12th ASIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE ON TOBACCO OR HEALTH (APACT12th)
On its twelveth organizations, APACT will have a theme of ‘Tobacco Control for Sustainable Development: Ensuring a Healthy Generation’. The theme align with the global agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)*, which has been adopted by all Asia Pacific countries. Today, tobacco control is not only recognized as the means of implementation to reach the overall health goal, but also to play an important role for the achievement of overall SDGs aspects. Hosted by The National Committee on Tobacco Control, The 12th Asia Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health (APACT12th) will be held in Bali, Indonesia, on 13 - 15 September 2018.
There are five objectives APACT12th wants to achieve:
- A stronger tobacco control policy
To control the harmful use of tobacco both in smoking and smokeless forms that lead to saving lives and reducing burden from tobacco related disease in Asia Pacific countries
- A restriction access for Tobacco Industry (TI) Interference
To empower and engage all Asia Pacific countries to share a common ground in protecting their nation from the destructive marketing target of TI
- Asia Pacific towards healthy economic growths
To mainstream policies among Asia Pacific Countries for healthy and economically wealthy and sustainable nation. This will include highlighting the important implementing policies like raising tobacco taxes that not only will decrease prevalence of tobacco use but also will increase government’s revenues and reduce poverty rate
- Empower youth to act
To educate, engage and mobilize youth for demanding and creating policy environment that are conducive to the development of Tobacco-free Generation
- A stronger alliance and collaboration
To engage and mobilize community in: a) implementing plans for protecting health policies like ban on advertisement and promotion, smoke free public places, sale to minors, increasing the age of purchase of tobacco products; and b) building alliances with government, academics, civil society and other stakeholders beyond health for achieving sustainable tobacco control programs to improve the health and well being of children and future generations.
The APACT12th format will include forums, workshops, plenaries, special sessions, symposiums, poster presentations and social markets. Platforms are designed to facilitate rigorous discussion and presentations to highlight efforts that have been made and plans towards ending tobacco epidemic.
We are excited to welcome and see you in September 2018.
*SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)
A universal set of goals, targets and indicators to action to end poverty, the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity; that United Nation (UN) member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years with Universal Vision of Healthy Planet, Healthy People.
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