Smoke Free Organization Declaration Ceremony in ADRA Phnom Penh office

Knowing from experience that that publicity of a march or assembled body can go a long ways in advocacy in development areas such as smoke free promotion, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency Cambodia was very happy when the Governor of Phnom Penh Governor gave permission for a successful march to celebrate their Smoke Free Declarations on May 19.  Starting at the Adventist church headquarters in Phnom Penh, ADRA Staff, the Board Chairman who is the Cambodia Adventist Mission Director and over 150 Adventist Church members marched about 1 kilometer to ADRA’s office.  Police directed cars around the marchers as a loud speaker proclaimed the reason for the march amid cheers.  Banners remained in the streets after the march was over for awareness of the negative effects of tobacco use.

Upon arriving at ADRA’s office, speeches were given by Garth Anthony, the Cambodia Adventist Mission President (Board Chairman), Mark Schwisow, the ADRA Director, Mom Kong, the Tobacco or Health Project Manager and Yel Daravuth, the World Health Organization Tobacco Control coordinator in Cambodia.  Burning of mock cigarettes and boxes, unveiling of the new office sign and radio and TV interviews completed the program that was the first of the regional declarations.

Garth Anthony, who led the march, asked the participants to reflect saying “I am very glad to see ADRA’s leadership making this Smoke Free organization declaration,” he said, “so what about your home and family?  Adventists, who do not smoke, are observed to live 6 or 7 years longer than people who smoke.  Thus, if you want to live longer, now is a very good time for you to declare yourself smoke free.”

As Christians we should not declare our offices, schools and institutions smoke free as we are doing today and will continue to do, but we also should declare the entire Seventh-day Adventist church family in Cambodia as smoke-free.  Not only each church member should be smoke free, but his or her home and family should also be.”  Anthony also congratulated the numerous Buddhist leaders who have already declared their Pagoda’s smoke free. 

Mom Kong explained that ADRA Cambodia management has agreed to follow three points in declaring itself smoke free:

ADRA does not allow people to smoke in all ADRA offices nation wide.

All activities which are conducted by ADRA are Smoke-Free.Cambodia will not allow the usage of tobacco products in any form on the premises.

All ADRA staff are non-smokers.

Kong also stated “In November 2006 the government of Cambodia ratified the WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) like other 100 countries worldwide. Within FCTC, smoke free workplaces, public places and homes are one of the measures to reduce tobacco use, which all countries members must follow.”