Asian tobacco trade limits urged

Asian nations provide a huge potential market for tobacco firms

Southeast Asia's free trade agreement should not include tobacco because of the health risks and costs, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) plans to cut tariffs between members to under 5% by 2008.

The WHO urged that tobacco be exempt from the agreement so that governments can raise prices to discourage its use.

"There are some things we should not be globalising," said Shigeru Omi, head of the WHO's Western Pacific operations.

"Trade and liberalisation will most likely increase death, disease and the economic costs due to tobacco use, primarily by making cigarettes and tobacco products cheaper, more accessible, more easily marketed and promoted," Mr Omi said at the start of a two-day meeting of Asean health ministers.

Big drag

The WHO estimates that smoking will kill five million people each year worldwide. This figure is set to double by 2030 unless measures are taken, Mr Omi said.

One of the main problems facing governments is that Asian nations provide tobacco companies with massive potential markets.

Sales have come under pressure in western Europe and the US, where health campaigns have managed to deter many would-be and hardened smokers.

As a result, tobacco firms have looked to develop east European and Asian operations.

Support for the WHO's plan is mixed among Asean members, which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.