煙草在線據《耶路撒冷郵報》報道編譯　　以色列衛生部長12月25日表示，以色列簽署了一個防止非法煙草貿易的國際議定書。

　　以色列駐聯合國大使普羅索爾代表以色列簽署了這個議定書，作為世界衛生組織《煙草控制框架公約》的一個補充。以色列與另外176個國家在幾年前批準了這項公約。

　　衛生部認為煙草非法貿易是一個全球性問題，因為非法貿易利益被用來資助真主黨這樣的恐怖組織和其他犯罪組織，并被用來洗錢。衛生部稱，煙草走私還會減少合法稅收收入，影響降低吸煙率的努力，并對人們產生致命的影響。

　　該議定書可以聯合國際力量，通過加強合法煙草供應貿易方面的安全性，打擊煙草走私。該議定書將要求記錄和跟蹤這方面的供應情況，以使當局能夠確定非法煙草的生產地點和目標銷售地點。此外，將給“合法”煙草商頒發許可證，并限制網絡銷售煙草制品。該議定書的簽約國可以交換信息和引渡違反者。

　　以色列是簽署該議定書的第43個國家（包括歐盟）。但是，由于煙草游說組織在聯邦政府內游說，美國甚至還沒有簽署《煙草控制框架公約》。

　　既然以色列已經簽署了該議定書，就必須通過立法，執行該議定書的規定，然后批準立法。

　　衛生部表示，除了打擊走私和減少使用非法資金資助恐怖組織的情況，該議定書還將幫助以色列更好地實施有關煙草制品廣告和營銷方面的限制措施。

　　目前，以色列議會經濟委員會正在為煙草非法貿易提案的二讀和三讀做準備。該提案將修訂廣告限制措施，并限制煙草制品的營銷。但是，衛生部尚未關閉公共建筑內的合法吸煙室——大多數發達國家都已經關閉了吸煙室，迫使吸煙者到室外吸煙。

Israel Becomes 42nd Country to Sign International Protocol against Tobacco Smuggling

　　Israel has joined an international protocol for the prevention of illegal tobacco traffic, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

　　Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor signed the protocol on behalf of the state, as an addition to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Israel ratified several years ago along with 176 other states.

　　The ministry called illegal trade in tobacco a worldwide problem, as the proceeds are used to fund terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and other criminal organizations, as well as in money laundering. Such smuggling also leads to the loss of legitimate tax income and harms the effort to reduce smoking and its deadly effects on the population, the ministry said.

　　The protocol makes it possible to combine international efforts to fight tobacco smuggling by increasing security in the trade of legal tobacco supplies. It will require that such supplies be marked and followed up so the authorities can identify where they were produced and where they are supposed to be sold. In addition, there will be licensing for "legitimate" tobacco merchants, and the sale of tobacco products on the Internet will be restricted. The signatories of the protocol can exchange information and extradite violators.

　　Israel is the 42nd country - including European Union nations - to sign the protocol. The US, however, has not yet signed even the FCTC due to tobacco lobbying in the federal government.

　　Now that Israel has signed, it must pass legislation to suit the protocol's instructions, and then ratify that legislation.

　　In addition to fighting smuggling and reducing the use of illegal funds for terror organizations, the protocol will help Israel better enforce limitations on the advertising and marketing of tobacco products, the ministry said.

　　The Knesset Economics Committee is currently preparing a bill on the subject for second and third readings. The bill would amend the limitation of advertising and would limit the marketing of tobacco products. However, the ministry has not yet managed to close down legal smoking rooms in public buildings - something the vast majority of advanced countries have already done, forcing smokers to go outdoors to light up. Enditem