[Today is World No Tobacco Day]

Pictorial warning on tobacco packs

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) will take measures to introduce health warning pictures on tobacco product packages after World No Tobacco Day this year with the support of the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre and WHO, National Authority on Tobacco Control Chairman Prof Carlo Fonseka said.

Today is World No Tobacco Day. Each year, on May 31 the world marks World No Tobacco Day under various themes.

This year, it is celebrated under the theme "The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control".

According to WHO the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is the world's first ever global public health treaty and it embraces all elements of tobacco control. It became an international law on February 28, 2005.

The Framework Convention recommends in its 11th article, 30 to 50 percent coverage for health warnings on tobacco product packages. Some countries in South East Asia have gone beyond the Convention's provisions. Thailand recently upgraded graphic health warnings to cover 55 percent of front and back surfaces.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has added a new dimension to tobacco control efforts in the South East Asian region. It has led to significant changes being introduced in health policies and programmes of member countries. Nine countries have formulated comprehensive national laws to implement the provisions of the WHO Framework convention on Tobacco Control. Banning smoking in the public places, prohibiting all sorts of tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotions and making tobacco-related health warnings mandatory on the packs of tobacco are some laws included in the provisions, said Prof. Fonseka. "Tobacco use is a leading cause of death and a foremost risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. Nearly six million people die each year from tobacco use and exposure to "second-hand" smoke and it could rise to 10 million by 2020. Unless serious action is taken, it is estimated that up to one billion people could die from tobacco use during the 21st century," he said.

Awareness programmes

Nadira Gunatilleke

Today is the World No Tobacco Day. The National ceremony to mark this day will be held today at Hilton Hotel, Colombo at 9.00 am with the presence of Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena and Health Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake.

According to a Health Ministry spokesman, the ministry has organized countrywide awareness campaigns to mark the day. Various awareness programmes will be held at district level to educate the public and schoolchildren on ill-effects of smoking and use of tobacco. Sri Lanka has taken steps to control tobacco use under the Mahinda Chinthana. 'Mathata Thitha' is one of the main programes implemented to curb smoking.

Now smoking has been banned in public places. Sri Lanka became the first country in South East Asian region and the fourth country in the world to ratify the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Sri Lanka enacted a Tobacco Control Act in 2006 for comprehensive tobacco control and established the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) to implement the Act, he said. Health Education Bureau statistics say that daily around 60 persons die in Sri Lanka due to smoking and annually around 20,000 die from illnesses caused by tobacco use and related products. Sri Lankans spend Rs. 100 million per day on cigarettes.

One person in every two persons who smoke dies. Around 98 percent labourers and 98 percent three-wheel drivers in Sri Lanka smoke. Smoking is one of the main reasons for Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Chewing beetle with tobacco is one of the main reasons for oral cancer.

Majority of persons who die from smoking are males. Therefore the whole family suffers from poverty due to the death of the breadwinner of the family. Scientific research have discovered that Nicotin reduces the blood flow to the penis and cause erectile problems.

Around 24 percent of smokers are likely to have erectile problems. Signs of fertility improvement can be noticed three months after giving up smoking, says Health Education Bureau statistics.