Million Signatures Against Emerging Tobacco Markets 2005 

PASUMAI THAAYAGAM (Green Motherland), which is a non-governmental, non-profit citizen organization. The mandate of this organization is environmental protection, sustainable development, human rights and promoting self-governance. The Chairperson of PASUMAI THAAYAGAM Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss is the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, in the current Indian Government headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh.

In each and every village as well as urban centres in Tamil Nadu, Pasumai Thaayagam has its members and supporters who actually implement the programmes of Pasumai Thaayagam.

Emerging Tobacco Markets 2005!

On 25th January 2005, we are launching a Million Signatures Campaign to stop the proposed "The Asian Tobacco Congress and Tradefair - Emerging Tobacco Markets 2005" or ETM 2005 from being held here on Nov 14 to Nov 17.
According to the World Health Organization - Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. Currently 4.9 million people die every year globally from tobacco use; out of the number 1.1 million people die from South-East Asia Region. In the Asia-Pacific region about 6000 people die every day. If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today -that is about 650 million people- will eventually be killed by tobacco, and most of them will be in developing countries.

As Asia is a particularly vulnerable area, we are concerned the region is being further exploited by the tobacco industry as it represents an important future tobacco market.

On their website, the expo organizers say, "It is the perfect opportunity for all players in the tobacco industry - from inside of Asia or outside of Asia - to strengthen their position in the Asian region." Source: www.etm2005.com
The tobacco industry has a long history of trying to position themselves as "legitimate" corporations, despite selling a product that is known to be highly addictive and a killer of millions of people world wide every year. By engaging in seemingly positive and altruistic initiatives such as "Emerging Tobacco Markets", which undoubtedly would result in economic spin-off for the city of Kuala Lumpur, the industry again positions itself to exploit the economically disadvantaged.

PASUMAI THAAYAGAM (Green Motherland- India) urges the Malaysian government to cancel this expo, as this would send a strong message to the international tobacco industry that Malaysia will not be exploited as the host for a business associated with promoting disease and death. Further it is important for Malaysia to act in the best public health interest of Asia since the region has shown overwhelming support for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). 

This clearly enunciated position by the government of Malaysia is further warranted by having signed the WHO FCTC on 23 September 2003. Pasumai Thaayagam is launching the campaign on 25th January 2005 to collect one million signatures against this expo, Emerging Tobacco Markets 2005, and signatures will be submitted to the Malaysian government.

Contact:
R.ARUL, Secretary, 
PASUMAI THAAYAGAM (Green Mother Land),
Email: asumaimail@yahoo.co.in

FAX: +91 44 2817 2122

Hand Phone: +91 94443 44331

Street Address:
No. 9, (old No: 5), Lynwood Lane, Mahalingapuram,
CHENNAI -600 034, Tamil Nadu, INDIA.

pasumaimail@yahoo.co.in
www.greenmotherland.info