Cambodia bans smoking in public venues, workplaces

Cambodia has banned smoking in public venues and workplaces, according to a Health Ministry circular made public here Wednesday. The circular, dated Feb. 4 and signed by Health Minister Mam Bunheng, advised workplace supervisors and those who are in charge of public places to educate people not to smoke in workplaces and public venues including government buildings, restaurants and bars. It also urged managers of those places to put "no-smoking" signs. "If the smokers do not obey, the supervisors should ask them to smoke outside," it said. The circular did not state any penalty or fine for violators. Dr. Mom Kong, executive director of NGO-Cambodia Movement for Health, said the prohibition was a positive step towards protecting the public from exposure to cigarette smoke. "Around 90 percent of Cambodian people are exposed to smoke at restaurants and about 50 percent in workplaces," he told Xinhua on Wednesday. "Some 10,000 Cambodian people die from tobacco-related diseases every year." Cambodian smokers spent roughly 100 million U.S. dollars a year for cigarettes and tobacco, he said, adding, "Moreover, the expense on medical treatment for cancer patients caused by tobacco is much higher than that of tobacco expense." Tobacco is seriously harmful to the health of smokers and other people when their smoke drifts around, and other people breathe it in. Cambodia has a population of about 14.8 million, with 7.5 million adults. According to the National Adult Tobacco Survey 2011, some 1.4 million adult Cambodians smoke cigarettes and another 550,000 people use smokeless tobacco (betel quid).