| WALK*ABOUT WALK AGAINST TOBACCO 2006 |
| WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY JAPAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH SYMPOSIUM 31ST MAY 2006 MARK GIBBENS (UNCUT SPEECH) |
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thankyou for inviting me to speak on this World No Tobacco Day.
You know, this problem is so big, it has its own world event day.
It's every countries problem, and thankfully I come from Australia
which is a world leader in tobacco awareness and reform.
Why has Australia been so successful in reducing its percentage of
male smokers from 47% ( Japan's current level) to 17% in less than
30 years?
Because of a unified Government and NPO, common goal to reduce
tobacco related death, not hindered by a financial connection to the
industry causing that death.
Australia has put health and welfare before profit.
I understand that the democratic process involves discussion,
deliberation and then action, but that process has to be put into a
meaningful time frame.
In conservative Japan that time frame is too long.
Everyday you sit discussing this problem, 300 more Japanese people
die from tobacco.
Everyday 300 people dead!
Everyday, everyone in this room dead!
And the suffering that death causes to family and friends is exponential
Japan is one of the most highly educated countries in the world, yet I
see no comprehensive national no-smoking education strategy in this
country.
As a nurse, I can't stand by watching people kill themselves by the
slow suicide of tobacco, whilst this government procrastinates over
the problem.
I had to take action.
So I am walking across Japan with this message;
Kinen wa Ai. - No smoking is Love.
With media support its a cheap and effective way of making the
public aware of the dangers of smoking.
The walk is hard, and at times painful, but that pain is nothing
compared to the suffering of a terminal cancer or COPD patient.
What I have seen on my walk across this country are many hard
working individuals and groups trying with limited resources to save
people from this suicidal addiction.
What they need is this governments whole hearted support morally
and financially to give Japanese people the chance to make an
educated choice about smoking tobacco.
I believe that if the Japanese people know the truth about the damage
tobacco is doing to their bodies they will choose not to smoke, and
especially young people will choose not tostart being corrupted by this
highly addictive product.
The role of Democratic governments is to support the people and
provide for the welfare of all the people.
This government is failing to protect its citizens.
This government must do more to protect its people.
Please!
We've had "warm biz"
and "cool biz"
its time for
Healthy Biz!
Thankyou for inviting me to speak on this World No Tobacco Day.
You know, this problem is so big, it has its own world event day.
It's every countries problem, and thankfully I come from Australia
which is a world leader in tobacco awareness and reform.
Why has Australia been so successful in reducing its percentage of
male smokers from 47% ( Japan's current level) to 17% in less than
30 years?
Because of a unified Government and NPO, common goal to reduce
tobacco related death, not hindered by a financial connection to the
industry causing that death.
Australia has put health and welfare before profit.
I understand that the democratic process involves discussion,
deliberation and then action, but that process has to be put into a
meaningful time frame.
In conservative Japan that time frame is too long.
Everyday you sit discussing this problem, 300 more Japanese people
die from tobacco.
Everyday 300 people dead!
Everyday, everyone in this room dead!
And the suffering that death causes to family and friends is exponential
Japan is one of the most highly educated countries in the world, yet I
see no comprehensive national no-smoking education strategy in this
country.
As a nurse, I can't stand by watching people kill themselves by the
slow suicide of tobacco, whilst this government procrastinates over
the problem.
I had to take action.
So I am walking across Japan with this message;
Kinen wa Ai. - No smoking is Love.
With media support its a cheap and effective way of making the
public aware of the dangers of smoking.
The walk is hard, and at times painful, but that pain is nothing
compared to the suffering of a terminal cancer or COPD patient.
What I have seen on my walk across this country are many hard
working individuals and groups trying with limited resources to save
people from this suicidal addiction.
What they need is this governments whole hearted support morally
and financially to give Japanese people the chance to make an
educated choice about smoking tobacco.
I believe that if the Japanese people know the truth about the damage
tobacco is doing to their bodies they will choose not to smoke, and
especially young people will choose not tostart being corrupted by this
highly addictive product.
The role of Democratic governments is to support the people and
provide for the welfare of all the people.
This government is failing to protect its citizens.
This government must do more to protect its people.
Please!
We've had "warm biz"
and "cool biz"
its time for
Healthy Biz!
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