Tuesday, May 4 , 1999
Thank you Helmut for accepting our " rendez-vous ". May I ask you to introduce yourself ?
I am a former Professor of Oncology at the University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine, Montevideo, Uruguay.
My position as Professor ended in 1984 when I reached the 65 year limit.
As an oncologist I became interested in tobacco in the early 70's.
I participated with the efforts of the American Cancer Society (ACS), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and UICC to build a Latin American Smoking Control Committee (LACSC - CLACCTA). It was finally founded in 1984 in Panama City at the occasion of Latin American Cancer Congress. In February 1985 we had our first meeting in Rio, Brazil and since then we meet regularly every year.
Last meeting was in Las Palmas, February 1999, the day before the 2nd European Conference on Tobacco and Health and the 1st IberoAmerican Conference on Tobacco and Health.
At the national level, the Chair of Oncology founded a League of
Volunteers for the Education and Control of Cancer (LUVEC) with an
interest in smoking. In 1992 another league was created with the only
purpose to further tobacco control measures, the Uruguayan AntiTobacco
Association (CATU).
I am now holding the President's office of this League.
1. How bad is the smoking epidemic in Uruguay?
Is this relatively small country large enough to be of interest for the tobacco multinationals?
Are the Uruguayans heavy smokers?
Smoking (and this refers to cigarettes which represent 99% of tobacco consumption) has always involved the minority of the population.
Prevalence survey of smokers was in 1998 about 32% with 52% of never smokers and 16% of ex-smokers (Gallup).
In
1995 (our last national survey) there was a steep decline with an
overall prevalence of 21.9% (31.7 men, 14.3 women) 64% non smokers and
14% of ex smokers (INE - National Institute of Statistics).
There is a general opinion that smoking prevalence has increased and an
updated national survey is urgently needed.
One of the problems we have is the lack of funds to finance the survey.
Over 20% of smokers are heavy smokers.
Our country has a population of 3.150.000 but in spite of this it is of great interest to multinationals because of their high profits.
To defend their interests they have a strong lobby which almost permanently sits in Parliament.
Particularly 1999 with general elections at the end of this year.
They provide sizable amounts of money to all three major parties.
The quantity is not known.
2. Who is fighting tobacco in Uruguay?
How are you organized? What are your priorities?
Tobacco control is a priority for the Ministry of Health.
However much more attention and funds are given to programs for drug control and AIDS in spite that mortality for tobacco related diseases is 15.4% annually.
We have a Tobacco Committee which meets regularly at PAHO headquarters.
It's members are representing the following institutions:
- Ministry of Health
* Division for Promotion of Health in particular adolescents
* Toxic Habits
- Ministry of Education and Culture
* General Council for Teaching
* council for Primary Schools
- Committee for Cardiovascular Health
- Faculty of Medicine (GUAT - Uruguayan Group for Quitting Tobacco)
- NGO's
* CATU (Uruguayan Anti Tobacco Committee) AMALTA (Latin American
Commission of Women Against Tobacco) LUVEC (Uruguayan League for
Education and Control of Cancer)
A new Tobacco Control project of law is in Parliament.
It has been approved with a small margin by the Senate due to the presence of the tobacco lobby.
It now awaits to be considered by the lower house, but since 1999 is, as already mentioned, an election year, the probability of passing it is very slim.
Therefore, most probably, the incoming government (March 2000) will present again this project or, I hope, a tougher one (complete TV ban, more strict regulation of publicity, non smoking in work places, etc).
One of our problems is the enforcement of the present law (1982) for which the Ministry of Health is responsible and has done nothing to implement it. NGO's and the Legal Department of the Ministry of Health are working together to get the sanctions applied as established by law.
3. We have met each other regularly for years. Are international relations important to your work?
Yes, of course, very much so.
They are an absolute essential support for our activities.
We are through information and correspondence connected with ASH, IATH, Ingcat, UICC, WHO, CNCT (France), etc.
4. You speak so many languages (French, Spanish, English, Portuguese,
what else? German?) that one feels shameful to know only one or two.
What about tobacco control activist who don't speak English? Is it easy
for instance to get informed in Spanish?
As far as I am concerned I think it is not easy to keep up with what happens speaking only French (at least for now).
You are absolutely right, English is a must to keep updated.
Leading activists are fluent in reading English and in speaking bad English (the most common of all languages).
Formerly, about 20 - 40 years ago it used to be French in Latin America but that has changed now almost everywhere.
I get very amused when, for example, non English European countries, very rightly proud of their home language, are increasingly using American words and expressions.
The group of volunteers who are with us mainly speak only Spanish.
Through Internet we receive information in Spanish (for example CNN en EspaÒol) but many times a translation is needed.
5. How do you like Globalink?
What new services would you like to get?
Is the internet/email revolution taking place within the tobacco control movement in Latin America?
Very much, indeed it is an absolute essential tool for our activities.
Ruben Israel and his team at the UICC headquarters in Geneva have to be highly praised for their efforts and constant improvements.
The use of Internet/email is steadily increasing in Latin America.
At the CLACCTA Meeting in Las Palmas only 2 out of 14 did not have an email address.
What you feel like adding :
I want to inform you that CLACCTA/PAHO have prepared a Guide of Strategies for Smoking Cessation for Latin America.
It will be issued by its General Secretariat in Caracas, Venezuela and distributed in these coming weeks.
Thank you Helmut for taking the time to be with us today.
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