WHO Urges Southeast Asia to Tackle Illicit Tobacco and Alcohol Trade

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls on Southeast Asia to address the illicit trade of tobacco and unrecorded alcohol. WHO Regional Director Saima Wazed emphasized the health risks and economic costs associated with these products and urged member countries to implement effective track-and-trace systems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a call to action for member countries in the Southeast Asia Region, urging them to take decisive steps to track, trace, and eliminate the illicit trade of tobacco products and to control the distribution of unrecorded alcohol.

WHO Regional Director Saima Wazed, speaking at a regional workshop in New Delhi, highlighted the substantial health risks posed by both legal and illegal forms of tobacco and alcohol, stating, “Effective control of illicit tobacco trade and unrecorded alcohol is a challenging and daunting task but now is the time to prudently make our decisions and choose the best way forward.”

Wazed emphasized the importance of all remaining member states joining the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) protocol and stressed the need for optimal resource allocation to develop and sustain effective track-and-trace mechanisms. She noted that progress in combating illicit trade has been slow, but successful strategies from other countries show that it is possible to address the issue effectively.