Quit tobacco hotline operational

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA

The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) said the current smoking prevalence is 39 percent among males and 2.6 percent among females in Sri Lanka. Chewing tobacco is more common among women than smoking, according to NATA.

"The number of deaths reported due to smoking is higher than deaths caused by Alcohol, AIDS, motor traffic accidents, arson, murder, suicide and dangerous drugs, said NATA Chairman Professor Carlo Fonseka.

According to statistics smoking kills 50 to 60 people daily and 15,000-20,000 persons annually in Sri Lanka.

The NATA Special Operation Centre was set up in the Regional Health Services Department, Anuradhapura. The hot line 1948 is open to the general public to obtain guidance and directions to stop the use of tobacco and alcohol.

District Tobacco Control Cells were established under the NATA as a part of the ongoing program on tobacco and alcohol control under the Government's Mathata Thitha program.