City Hall Pushes to Reduce Smoking in Phnom Penh

In anticipation of World No Tobacco Day on Sunday, Phnom Penh’s City Hall called upon tobacco companies to stop the illegal advertisement of cigarettes and for district officials to start enforcing non-smoking zones, in an event at Wat Phnom on Friday.

“Tobacco companies are trying to produce programs to advertise their products at big hotels, restaurants and late night venues,” violating laws banning tobacco product advertising, said City Hall deputy governor Bun Serey. 

People hold up a banner which reads 'We Love an Environment Free of Smoke' at an anti-tobacco event at Wat Phnom on Friday. (Khem Sovannara)
People hold up a banner which reads ‘We Love an Environment Free of Smoke’ at an anti-tobacco event at Wat Phnom on Friday. (Khem Sovannara)

“I will ask working groups in each district to organize a campaign to place non-smoking signs in restaurants, nightclubs and businesses,” Mr. Serey added. The National Assembly last month approved the Law on Tobacco Product Control in an effort to curb the number of smokers in the country.

According to Yel Daravuth, technical officer for the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative in Cambodia, the new law bans smoking in public spaces and will be followed by sub-decrees that impose fines.

“Currently it is illegal but only by a circular signed by Ministry of Health in 2014, but since there is no monetary fine, people are not afraid to smoke in public places,” he said.

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