The Japanese government needs to take a strong position in the fight against tobacco and ban all forms of tobacco advertising and vending machines, according to Gro Harlem Brundtland, director general of the World Health Organization.
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| Gro Harlem Brundtland, director of the World Health Organization, speaks during a recent interview in Geneva. |
"Vending machines are terrible," the head of the Geneva-based U.N. body told Kyodo News in a recent interview. "They are important in the eyes of the tobacco industry because they are effective sales machines, which is exactly what we don't want."
The former Norwegian prime minister said she believes the vending machine ban is vital if the number of smokers in Japan is to be reduced.
While the number of smokers is decreasing in many developed nations, smokers in Asia are on the rise, particularly among young women in Japan, according to WHO figures.