VOA标准英语2015--阿布扎比峰会关注烟草和疾病问题

Abu Dhabi Summit to Focus on Tobacco and Disease 阿布扎比峰会关注烟草和疾病问题 

The 16th World Conference on Tobacco or Health will be held next month in Abu Dhabi. The five-day meeting will feature the latest in smoking control efforts. The World Health Organization estimates tobacco kills nearly six million people every year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries.

The conference theme is Tobacco and Non-communicable Diseases or NCDs. They include cancer, stroke cardiovascular and lung disease and diabetes¹. While tobacco kills six million a year, the WHO reports NCDs take the lives of 16 million people annually² before they reach age 70.

It’s the first-time the conference – which is held every three years – will focus on NCDs.

Dr. Ehsan Latif is director of the Tobacco Control Department for the International Union Against Tuberculosis³ and Lung Disease, more commonly known as The Union.

“Tobacco use and cigarettes and smoking is one of the main factors in causing all the NCDs,” he said.

Non-communicable diseases, he said, will increase as smoking increases.

“They will. Given the current use of tobacco and smoking, which is increasing mostly in the developing countries, we can predict an increase in the NCDs over the coming years if nothing is done,” Latif said.

But with all that is known about the health risks of tobacco, why is smoking on the rise in low- and middle-income countries?

Latif said, “It’s just a lack of legislation and awareness⁴ of the people. The governments recognize that something needs to be done, but their efforts are undermined by the presence of a very strong tobacco industry. These tobacco industries are bigger than the economies of some of the countries that we work in. And their pressure and false impression given to the governments of the economic contribution they have just paralyzes some of these governments of introducing a good tobacco control effort.”

Tobacco companies have claimed in the past that governments can boost revenues by taxing cigarette sales. Critics said any financial benefits are far outweighed⁵ by the burden on health care.

Latif said smoking is on the rise especially in one particular age group.

“It’s particularly the young and the young adults where the incidence keeps increasing. Because as you grow old you become more aware of what the environment is – whether it’s good and bad for you. But young people [are] under different influences, like peer pressure, stress, false sense of safety.”

And he said cigarette advertising⁶ is aimed at the young.

“You don’t see the tobacco industry sponsoring an event for 60-year-olds. They always sponsor it for young adults. You have concerts. You have got rallies. You’ve got things which attract the young people and those are the ones sponsored by the industry to increase their sales in this age group.”

Latif said the rise in smoking in developing countries coincides with the adoption⁷ of the Western-style diet, which is laden⁸ with sugar, salt and fat.

Latif said, “As you modify your behaviors – as you look at these fast food chains opening up in low and middle income countries – and as some of the economies [are] in transition – these things become more affordable⁹. In the low and middle income countries it’s seen as a fashion, as a fad¹⁰. If you want to look trendy you need to go to a fast food chain, which is popular in the West as well.”

The World Conference on Tobacco or Health is being held in the United Arab Emirates to raise awareness in the region. So, the conference will consider the use of shisha or waterpipes.

“We see shisha and waterpipe as a gateway¹¹ to smoking. So, the impression given by the shisha makers¹² is that it does not contain any tobacco – or it does not have those kinds of health hazards as direct smoking would have. Well, that we know is entirely¹³ false. It has the same hazards as if you smoke a cigarette. It’s the same as if you smoke a low tar¹⁴ cigarette or a high tar content cigarette. The effects are the same. They all kill you,” said Latif.

There’s also concern about e-cigarettes or electronic cigarettes. They are marketed as a safer alternative, but health officials are concerned about potential addiction¹⁵ and have not called them safe.

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has been in effect since 2005. Supporters said the treaty is in response to the “globalization of the tobacco epidemic¹⁶.” It addresses – what they called – “the devastating¹⁷ worldwide health, social, economic and environmental consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.” 

Latif added reducing noncommunicable diseases will require efforts on multiple fronts.

“When we look at NCDs and the causes of NCDs we are also talking about the alcohol industry, the food industry. So, we will be going up against, not only the tobacco industry, but also other powerful industries as well. And that’s not going to be easy. So we need all the support and the resources we can get,” he said.

The 16th World Conference on Tobacco or Health will be held in Abu Dhabi from March 17-21.

1 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

2 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

3 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

4 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

5 outweighed   

v.在重量上超过( outweigh的过去式和过去分词 )；在重要性或价值方面超过

参考例句：

• This boxer outweighed by his opponent 20 pounds. 这个拳击选手体重比他的对手重20磅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She outweighed me by ten pounds, and sometimes she knocked me down. 她的体重超过我十磅，有时竟把我撞倒。 来自百科语句

6 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

7 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

8 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

9 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

10 fad   

n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好

参考例句：

• His interest in photography is only a passing fad.他对摄影的兴趣只是一时的爱好罢了。
• A hot business opportunity is based on a long-term trend not a short-lived fad.一个热门的商机指的是长期的趋势而非一时的流行。

11 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

12 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

14 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

15 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

16 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

17 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。