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| Sunday, 23 June 2002 |
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Fifty people die of smoking everyday by Don Asoka Wijewardena About 23,000 persons between the ages of 40 to 60 die of smoking-related diseases annually in Sri Lanka and smoking among teenagers seems to have increased as a result of attractive advertisements and sales promotion campaigns, according to the survey carried out by the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC). Mrs. Kumari Welagedara, Program Director (ADIC), told the "Sunday Observer" that smoking among adults which was on the increase showed a downward trend during the last few years as most people had realised the health hazards of smoking but the younger generation had taken to smoking despite the fact that they were aware of its fatal effects. She explained that about 1.5 million people were regular smokers in Sri Lanka around 50 people between the ages of 40 to 60 were reported to be dying everyday of smoking related diseases such as lung cancer, heart diseases and strokes. She said that Rs. 66 million was being spent on tobacco annually in Sri Lanka. Director, Cancer Control Program, Dr. Yasantha Ariyaratne, said that 60 per cent cancer cases were due to regular smoking and smoking was on the increase in the low-income groups and among teenagers. He said that by stopping smoking 30 per cent of non-communicable diseases could be prevented. |
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