Govt determined to bring about tobacco, alcohol free society - Prime Minister

Rohan Mathes

Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka, yesterday observed that despite the loss of state revenue, the Government was determined to go ahead with the anti-smoking and anti-drugs campaign uninterrupted, to bring-about a tobacco and alcohol free society.

"We will never ever weaken the programme initiated by us to transform our society, even at an annual loss to the Government. The 'Anti-Tobacco Act' has already yielded results", the Premier said.

The Prime Minister made these observations when the addressed a ceremony inaugurating the 'Anti-Tobacco' campaign, an awareness programme to dissuade the public from smoking, organised by the Tobacco and Drugs Information Centre in collaboration with the Health Ministry.

It has been pointed out here that research had shown that less-educated males and females of the more affluent society, were prone to smoking. It had also been revealed that cigarette-marketing companies were targeting the fairer sex in their advertising and other promotional activities.

Chairman of the Drugs Information Centre and the Dharmavijaya Foundation Olcot Gunasekera, Dr. Wilmot Weerasuriya, Dr. H. W. Perera, the Prime Minister's Secretary Mahinda Bandusena and others participated at this ceremony.