World Health Organisation honours Luk Joossens
Luk Joossens, a tobacco prevention expert, received a World No Tobacco Day Award from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for his efforts in the battle against tobacco. The prize ceremony took place in the European parliament, to mark World No Tobacco Day (31 May).
Joossens, a tobacco prevention expert at the cancer foundation 'Stichting tegen Kanker' and the European Cancer League (ECL), is one of the world's best in the battle against tobacco smuggling, as well as being a world famous analyst and commentator in the field. He has written numerous articles, consulted international authorities and contributed to inter-governmental discussion about combating the use of tobacco.
The WHO congratulates Joossens for his contribution to “achievements in the fight against the use of tobacco in the last thirty years, not only at a national level, but also on a European and international scale, particularly at a level of the illegal tobacco trade", and also his performance in the ECL in his “role in reviewing the European directive on tobacco products and especially his involvement in discussions on ‘tracking and tracing’ tobacco products”.
Each year the WHO presents the World No Tobacco Day Awards to carefully selected individuals or organisations in recognition of their achievements in combating the use of tobacco and the implementation of the WHO framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC).