Tobacco and Alcohol Bill unanimously passed

Ranil Wijayapala and Rajmi Manatunga

KOTTE: The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Bill, aiming to eliminate tobacco and alcohol related harm to public health was unanimously passed in Parliament yesterday.

The Bill was presented in Parliament by Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva after revising the initial draft in accordance with the Supreme Court determination on the Bill which was delivered on Monday.

"The Act will be implemented in one month. It is a great victory that this Bill was passed in the House unanimously," Minister de Silva told the Daily News.

Presenting the Bill, the Minister de Silva said that the Bill would put an end to passive smoking which has caused many health hazards to non-smokers.

The Act which was challenged in the Supreme Court by many persons and organisations including tobacco and alcohol manufacturers and distributors, imposes several prohibitions on the sale and use of alcohol and tobacco.

Accordingly, the Act makes it an offence to smoke in any area where public has access, while the manufacture or sale of prescribed tobacco products is also prohibited.

"The Act also prohibits the sale of tobacco or alcohol to any person under 21 years to save the younger generation from the harmful effects of such products," Minister de Silva said. According to the Act, the free distribution of tobacco or alcohol products is also a punishable offence.

"Following lengthy studies on methods used by cigarette and alcohol manufacturers, we have identified that the free distribution of tobacco and alcohol products is a principle method used for promoting such products," the Minister said.

He said that the Act will also prohibit the publication of tobacco and alcohol advertisements and prohibit tobacco and alcohol sponsorship of any event, including educational, cultural and sporting activities.

In addition, the Act also makes it an offence to sell tobacco products without a health warning and without indicating their nicotine content.

According to the Minister, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol established by the Act will be vested with wide powers for regulating the manufacture, sale and use of tobacco and alcohol.

He pointed out that Sri Lanka was the first Asian country to ratify the framework on the Tobacco Convention.

"We had to face many obstacles from various quarters in formulating and presenting this Bill. But as Sri Lankans we should be proud of the fact that we could get this Bill passed unanimously," he added.

He noted that the Mahinda Chintana specifically mentioned an end to tobacco and alcohol abuse. This Bill would be a fillip for that initiative as well.