Cambodia bans smoking in public places

Cambodia has released a smoking ban in workplaces and public places, including educational institutions, public transports, museums, gas stations, playgrounds, religious areas, and so on, according to local media.
Cambodia has released a smoking ban in workplaces and public places,including educational institutions, public transports, museums, gasstations, playgrounds, religious areas, and so on, according to localmedia.

According to AKP news agency, the circular on thebanning of smoking was disseminated by the Ministry of Health in aseminar recently held in Phnom Penh under the presidency ofMinister of Health Mam Bunheng and Representative of the World HealthOrganization to Cambodia Pieter Van Maaren.

A surveyconducted by the Ministry of Planning in 2011 showed that some 90percent of Cambodian people are exposed to smoke at restaurants, 60percent at public transports, and about 50 percent at workplaces.

Some 10,000 Cambodian people die from tobacco-related diseases every year, or about 30 people a day, added the survey.

Cambodiansspend each year approximately 100 million USD to buy tobacco, andmillions of USD for tobacco-related diseases, especially cancer,Minister Mam Bunheng was quoted as saying at the seminar.-VNA

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