According to theWorld Health Organization , “ the tobacco plant epidemic is one of the handsome public wellness threat the world has ever face . ” It estimates that around 1 billion people smoke worldwide , with 80 pct of those smokers living in low- and middle - income countries . Now the president of one of those body politic , Turkmenistan , has apparently made the move tooutlaw the sale of tobacco products , in effect making smoke illegal .
The move has been report by an independent websiteChrono - TM , which covers Turkmenistan from abroad since its media is entirely land - run . The move was enacted after a nation broadcast showed yard of coffin nail packets being incinerated during a energy by the regime to stop mass smoke . The BBC reports it has had confirmation from sources within the nation that cigarettes have indeed go away from the shelves .
The current drawing card of Turkmenistan , Gurbanguly Berdymukamedow , is well - have it away for further goodish life . United States Department of State television set broadcasts frequently show syllabus encouraging active lifestyles , with Berdymukamedow himself even appear in some of the broadcasts , engaging in activities such as cycling and fishing . Chrono - TM account that now if anyone is caught selling tobacco product , they look a fine of $ 1,680 ( £ 1,170 ) . This has already led to a bootleg market in tobacco products emerge , with a single pack now apparently costing as much as $ 12 ( £ 8.30 ) , a gamy price for a developing country .
baccy is one the biggest killers in the world , with an estimated6 million peopledying as a result of it every year . While around 5 million of these end are attributed to immediately fume baccy , more than 600,000 die as a event of inhaling 2d deal smoke . The World Health Organization states that : “ tobacco plant users who die prematurely deprive their families of income , enkindle the monetary value of health care and hinder economic growth . ”
The move to ban all tobacco products follows Berdymukamedow heavy pick apart the State Service for Protecting the Security of a Healthy Society for not doing enough to preclude people smoking . It makes Turkmenistan only one of a handful of countries to ban tobacco , after Bhutan became the first to do so in 2004 . The modest Himalayan country , however , has ascertain a thrive black market place in butt that enter the body politic from neighboring India .
Berdymukamedow has ruled the cardinal Asiatic nation of Turkmenistan since 2006 , and hasfostered an almost cult - corresponding following . A little more restrained than his harbinger , he is still ahighly authoritarian loss leader , controlling all media within the country , ostracize political foeman , and oppress religious and ethnic minorities .
