The Australian High Court1 ruled2 in August to support a law3 barring4 tobacco companies5 from putting their advertising logos6 on cigarette packages7.
The European Union is considering a similar ban8. But a recent international study showed9 that some countries do little10 to control tobacco11 use.
It found12 that the tobacco industry still13 has strong influence14 around the world. Researchers15 examined information about 3 billion tobacco users16 worldwide17. They looked closely18 at tobacco use in 14 low and middle-income19 countries.
They compared this information with tobacco use in two developed countries20: the United States and Britain21. Gary Giovino is with the University of Buffalo School of Public Health22 and Professions in New York State. He was the lead23 researcher in the study. He says, “Tobacco contributes24 an enormous burden25 to the health care system26 in developed countries.” He says that will become27 the case in low and middle-income countries in the near future28. In India, he said, it already has29.
The study found China has 300 million tobacco users. That is more than any other30 country. India was second, with almost 275 million tobacco users. Dr. Giovino says the researchers found powerful31 pro-tobacco forces were active even32 in elementary schools.” The China National Tobacco Company,” he says, “has supported elementary schools in China – dozens33 and dozens of them. And they use their support to promote34 propaganda about tobacco use.”
Dr. Giovino says this is the same as35 the government telling children36 to use tobacco to be successful. But, he notes37 tobacco is, in fact38, addictive39 and shortens lives40.
The study showed that governments and
social traditions in many countries are open to influence from
pro-tobacco forces. So the Australian court decision is considered important41 to those fighting42 to control tobacco use.
Jonathan Lieberman directs the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer in Australia. He says the study shows everybody43 that the only way44 to deal with45 tobacco industry claims46 or legal threats47 is in court.
Jonathan Lieberman said the decision was fantastic for public health in Australia and around the world48. The study also found that, unless49 urgent action is taken50, about51 a billion people will die early52 in this century53 as a result54 of tobacco use. On average55, each of them56 will lose57 15 years of life. For VOA Special English, I’m Laurel Bowman. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast 22Aug2012)
1. Australian High Court = alta corte australiana 2. Ruled = decidiu 3. to support a law = apoiar uma lei 4. barring = proibindo 5. companies = empresa 6. advertising logos = logotipos de propaganda 7. cigarette packages = pacotes de cigarros 8. similar ban = proibição semelhante 9. showed = mostrou 10. do little = fazem pouco 11. tobacco = fumo 12. found = descobriu 13. still = ainda 14. strong influence = forte influencia 15. Researchers = pesquisadores 16. Users = usuários 17. Worldwide = mundialmente 18. looked closely = olhar de perto 19. low and middle-income = de renda baixa a media 20. developed countries = países desenvolvidos 21. Britain = Grã Bretanha 22. Public Health = saúde pública 23. Lead = chefe, lider 24. Contributes = contribui 25. Burden = carga, fardo 26. health care system = sistema de assistência médica 27. become = tornar-se 28. near future = futuro próximo 29. it already has = já tem 30. more than any other = mais do que qualquer outro 31. powerful = poderoso(a) 32. even = até mesmo 33. dozens = dezenas 34. promote = promover 35. the same as = o mesmo que 36. children = crianças 37. notes = observa 38. in fact = na verdade 39. addictive = viciante 40. shortens lives = encurta as vidas 41. is considered important = é considerada importante 42. fighting = luta 43. everybody = todo mundo, todos 44. the only way = A única forma 45. to deal with = lidar com 46. claims = reivindicações 47. legal threats = ameaças legais 48. around the world = ao redor do mundo 49. unless = a menos que, a não ser que 50. taken = tomado(a) 51. about = aproximadamente 52. will die early = morrerão prematuramente 53. century = século 54. as a result = como resultado 55. On average = em media 56. each of them = cada um deles 57. lose = perder