The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: The Argentine Association for Cancer Prevention and Education was selected by PAHO to perform a Programme on "Upgrading South and Center and South of Argentina Community NGO Leaders on Tobacco Control". It aimed at updating Community, Cancer Associations leaders and legislators about different subjects of the Tobacco health burden, emphasizing on lives and economic losses produced by tobacco use. More than 40,000 persons die every year in Argentina due to diseases produced by tobacco use and during 2003 4,300 millions pesos were spent to treat them whereas the income by the tax was only 2,400 millions. Nevertheless the FCTC will have to overcome important opposition due to economic interests.

Methods: Four workshops were held between May and September 2003 in different cities of the Center and the South of Argentina: Bahia Blanca, Huanguelen, (Province of Buenos Aires), Neuquen (Province of Neuquen) and Trelew (Province of Chubut). 120 Cancer Association, community leaders, and legislators attended the workshops. Their organization was achieved with the collaboration of the Cancer Associations of each Province.

Results: The evaluations of the fourth workshops were outstanding: the meeting was considered very interesting by 74.4% of the participants, the most interesting subjects were: Present epidemic of tobacco (60.5%); Measures to reduce the demand of tobacco and its advertising (69.8%); Tobacco advocacy (69.8%). As a consequence of the Workshops, three of the participants (Health Directors) passed projects in their own Municipal Councils and the complete prohibition to smoke in Public Places was enforced in the Huanguelen, Guamini and Carhue political areas.