Yes
Lebanon’s Tobacco Control and Regulation of Tobacco Products’ Manufacturing, Packaging and Advertising (Law No. 174) prohibits the advertising and promotion of tobacco products in traditional and electronic media. The law regulates all tobacco products the same, including cigarettes, smokeless products, e-cigarettes, and heat-not-burn products. Smoking, vaping, and use of heat-not-burn products is banned in hospitals, schools, and many public buildings in Lebanon, and regulations mandate health warnings must occupy 40 percent of tobacco packaging’s surface area.
Recent media coverage in Lebanon tends to focus on the country’s e-cigarette ban, health concerns surrounding e-cigarettes, and the influence of e-cigarettes on young people. Because of the ban, some smokers have become involved in the illegal trading and use of e-cigarettes. Coverage also notes the recent boost to Lebanon’s tobacco farming, as the country accepts more Syrian refugees who also smoke at high rates.
The Lebanese government has stated that there are no studies regarding the health effects of e-cigarettes. Because of the tobacco industry’s influence on the government and the government’s control of the media, Lebanese people are often told that e-cigarettes are potentially more harmful than standard cigarettes and are a danger to Lebanese youth.
Emerging scientific evidence supporting the use of e-cigarettes to aide in harm reduction continues to be a topic of debate. Adding clarity to the emotional discourse as presented by @sciencemagazine is a step in the right direction. http://bit.ly/2PFJeGf
. @Avesthagen, a systems biology life sciences company, just announced the acceleration of its Avestagenome Project. Their research focuses on the Indian & Parsi communities to understand the role of smoking in developing lung, oral & esophageal cancers: https://prn.to/35jgPwc
Sub-Saharan African countries have become home to five of the top tobacco producing countries, including #Malawi where tobacco exports contributed to 59% of total merchandise export earnings. Read about the impact on local economies and trade shifts. http://bit.ly/2NytTpP
Congratulations to ATI advisory board member & @StellenboschUni Prof. Umezuruike Linus Opara for being named one of the 2019 Highly Cited Researchers from the @webofscience Group. Learn more on Prof. Linus Opara here: http://bit.ly/2t6Hiz5
As the year draws to a close, we invite you to hear from the researchers working to end smoking in this generation. Watch the video to learn about projects that range from harm reduction among indigenous people to innovation in smoking cessation treatment. http://bit.ly/33hyBOW
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