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World's Nonsmokers Take up Fight for Cleaner Air
In country after country, talk of nonsmokers' rights is in the air. This
fresh voice is heard from Australia to Sweden. Its force is freeing clean air
for nonsmokers—and tightening the situation for smokers.
In west Germany, for instance, taxi drivers—known for their
independence—post signs saying "Nicht Raucher"(nonsmoker) and may refuse
passengers who insist on smoking. . . Bans in Poland prevent smoking in
factories, offices, snack bars, and other public places. . . And Venezuelans can
be fined $ 230 to $ 1,000 for smoking in supermarkets, buses, and numerous other
places. Many countries also are moving in step to limit tobacco promotion
(despite a 7 percent jump in world tobacco production last year) and eliminate
the "false claims of the glorification(美化) of smoking as a habit.. . " says Jean
de Moerloose of the United Nations World Health Organization.
While a majority of countries have taken little or no action yet, some 30
nations have introduced legislative steps to control smoking abuse. Many laws
have been introduced in other countries to help clear the air for nonsmokers, or
to cut cigarette consumption.
In many developing nations, however, cigarette smoking is seen as a sign of
economic progress—and is even encouraged.
"While it appears that in developed countries the consumption of cigarettes
has become stabilized, there are some indications that it is still rising at a
steady pace in Latin America," says Dr. Daniel J. Joly, an adviser to the Pan
American Health Organization.
Despite progress in segregating (隔离) nonsmokers and smokers, most countries
see little change in the number of smokers. In fact, there is a jump in the
number of girls and young women starting to smoke.
As more tobacco companies go international, new markets are sought to gain
new smokers in developing countries. For example, great efforts are made by the
American tobacco industry to sell cigarettes in the Middle East and North
Africa—where U. S. tobacco exports increased by more than 27 percent last year,
according the U. S. Foreign Agriculture Service. So far, any cooperation between
tobacco interests and governments' campaigns against smoking has been in the
area of tobacco advertising.
Restrictions on cigarette ads, plus health warnings on packages and bans on
public smoking in certain places, are the most popular tools used by nations in
support of nonsmokers or in curbing ( 限制) smoking.
But world attention also is focusing on other steps which will:
—make the smoker increasingly self-conscious and uncomfortable about his
habit by publicizing public awareness of the decline of social acceptability of
smoking.
(This method is receiving strong support in the U. S. and other countries.
)
—prevent pro-smoking scenes on television and films.
—remove cigarette vending machines.
—provide support for those who want to kick the habit of smoking.
—make it illegal to sell or hand over tobacco products to minors and
prohibit smoking in meeting places for young people.
—boost cigarette prices with higher tobacco taxes—and use the money for
antismoking campaigns.
At a June UN conference on smoking, a goal set by Sir George E. Godber,
chairman of the expert committee on smoking and health for the World Health
Organization, stated: " We may not have eliminated cigarette smoking completely
by the end of this century, but we ought to have reached a position where
relatively few addicts still use cigarettes, but only in private at most in the
company of consenting adults. " NATIONS ATTEMPT SOLUTIONS
Here are brief sketches of major or unique attempts around the world to
insure nonsmokers' right to smoke-free air and to help smokers quit.
SWEDEN
An ambitious, concerted plan to raise a nation of nonsmokers is being
implemented by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.
Swedish children born after 1975 will grow up in environments that will be
nonsmoking and antismoking as much as possible. General cigarette consumption
will cut from 1,700 cigarettes a year per person to 1920 level of under 300
cigarettes a year, according to the 25-year plan.
A campaign to restrict tobacco advertising, raise cigarette prices to over
$ 2 a pack, remove cigarette vending machines by 1979, ban pro-smoking content
in films and television programs, restrict public smoking, and give intensive
antismoking education in schools and the military, will promote the goal of a
society which "should be so unfavorable toward smoking that smoking could not
arise once again as a major factor harmful to public health. "
By Swedish law, life-insurance premiums (保险费 ) are lowered for nonsmokers.
WEST GERMANY
An image-reversing advertising campaign began a few years ago in West
Germany whereby it is the nonsmoker who is shown to be living the swinging life
previously claimed by the cigarette addict.
A government-sponsored program to warn the public about the dangers of
smoking includes an attempt to encourage consideration of the nonsmoker at work
and in public places. Tobacco television ads were stopped in 1973.
But there are no firm plans at the federal level to ban smoking in public
places, although it is being considered as a legislative proposal. Health
experts say that the legally required warning on cigarette packages in the
United States has not helped. Hence there are strong doubts about strict laws in
the whole area of smoking. The governing idea here is to encourage consideration
of others. But this angle of attack (moral persuasion) does not rule out
legislation. In two of Germany's 11 states there are laws to protect public
employees who do not smoke from their smoking fellow workers. "Smoke breaks" are
used to separate the smokers and nonsmokers.
"The nonsmoker today is just as much or more respected than the smoker. "
Says one health official, "and this is a success in itself. " GREAT BRITAIN
A television advertising ban in 1965, a health warning on tobacco packages
begun in 1971, a 20 percent price rise on cigarettes in 1974, and a constant
campaign to isolate pubic smoking in airlines, trains, and other public places
have fuelled a forceful antismoking and nonsmokers' program in Britain.
In Ireland, an advertising code bans ads emphasizing the pleasure of
smoking, featuring conventional heroes of the young as smokers, or implying that
it is less harmful to smoke one brand than another.
UNITED STATES
U. S. airlines are subject to $ 1,000 fines for failing to provide a smoke
free seat for any passenger who wants one. The Interstate Commerce Commission
has made "no smoking" the rule, rather than the exception, on all interstate
passenger trains and buses. The Military segregates smokers and no longer
distributes cigarette in C rations.
A growing number of restaurants now offer separate areas for nonsmokers. A
ban on television and radio cigarette ads, health warnings and restrictions on
public smoking in many states and cities make the United States a participant in
world nonsmoking and antismoking efforts. The number of U. S. nonsmokers is
rising as well.
1. With the world's efforts, more and more smokers have realized the
harmful effect of smoking on environment.
2. 30 countries have introduced legislation to restrict smoking, though
little has been done in most other countries.
3. The total number of smokers decreases while the number of female smokers
increases in most countries.
4. Smokers in Latin America consume more cigarettes than in developed
countries.
5. The improved economic situation in developing countries is the
explanation of the rising number of smokers there.
6. Both Sweden and Great Britain raised cigarette prices to control the
tobacco consumption.
7. The increasing number of nonsmokers in U. S. is the evidence to show
that the U. S. antismoking campaign has been successful.
8. Tobacco companies are now getting more profit in______than before.
9. People aboard any flight in U. S. can get a
10. In West Germany, consideration of nonsmokers is ______ in the campaign
against smoking.
答案：1. NG 2. Y 3. N 4. N 5. N 6. Y 7. Y 8. in developing countries 9. smoke
free seat 10. encouraged |
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发表于 2016-7-11 18:45:46