SEA Games to be Tobacco-Free, Sanctions Applied for Smokers and Cigarette Sellers
In a press conference held on March 2, Tourism Ministry’s Secretary of State Hor Sarun, who is also the vice chairman of the opening-closing ceremony of the Cambodian SEA Games Organizing Committee (CAMSOC), announced that measures will be taken against tobacco, cigarette, and e-cigarette smokers and sellers in the designated non-smoking areas. Photo: Heak Chhork
- By Heak Chhork
- March 6, 2023 6:25 PM
PHNOM PENH – The upcoming Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and ASEAN Para Games will be tobacco-free.
In a press conference held on March 2, Tourism Ministry’s Secretary of State Hor Sarun, who is also the vice chairman of the opening-closing ceremony of the Cambodian SEA Games Organizing Committee (CAMSOC), announced that measures will be taken against tobacco, cigarette, and e-cigarette smokers and sellers in the designated non-smoking areas.
Sanctions will start with a simple reminder that tobacco is not allowed in sports infrastructures or in game-watching areas. But if no cooperation is shown, smokers will be fined 20,000 riels (or $5), or can even be evicted from the sporting event. The amount of the fine or potential additional sanctions for cigarette and e-cigarette sellers have not been unveiled.
Such regulations are in line with the Tourism Ministry’s will to promote “Tobacco-Free Sports Events” as CAMSOC ordered on Jan. 3, said Hor Sarun.
To ensure the rules are respected, it will be prohibited to sell, spread, sponsor, and advertise tobacco, cigarette and e-cigarette products in the National Stadium, sports areas, and in areas close to the athletes’ accommodations.
Sarun stressed that any individual who disobeys such regulations will first be reminded of them by CAMSOC teams, before potentially being fined or evicted.
“We have a force of volunteers who will remind the rules to people who are seen selling or smoking,” Sarun said. “We will not allow the smoke to be spread to other people [within the non-smoking areas] during one of the country’s most historic events.”
CAMSOC will also widely spread information about these rules before the event starts to ensure maximum acknowledgment by the public. Mentions of the tobacco prohibition will also be displayed on the sports event’s promotional banners.
“If there is someone who does the opposite of the instruction, we [CAMSOC] will use education as the main method. Therefore, we need to spread the awareness widely before [CAMSOC] uses the fining or evicting methods,” the vice chairman said.
There will be a monitoring group, Sarun added, to tell people who come to attend sports events not to smoke or sell tobacco products.
SEA Games will be held from May 5 to May 17 while the ASEAN Para Games will start on June 3 and stop on June 9.
Originally written in Khmer for Thmey Thmey, the story was translated by Meng Seavmey for Cambodianess.
