PHW on tobacco packaging:

Plaudits for Health Minister

by Ananda Kannangara

The Maharagama National Cancer Institute (NCI) has paid a glowing tribute to Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena for obtaining Government approval to cover 80 percent of tobacco packaging with Pictorial Health Warnings (PHW). NIC Consultant and President Cancer Association, Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa said that the proposal to implement PHW in Sri Lanka was first brought in 2008, but was delayed due to industry interference.

“As a result, Sri Lanka was ranked in the 40th position, but with the approval of PHW recently, our country is now ranked third in this area, he said. Accordingly, Australia is first and Uruguay second in issuing PHW. Dr. Rajapaksa further said 22 percent of the country’s annual health budget is spent on people who fall sick due to tobacco smoking.

“This figure is many times bigger than the amount the tobacco industry pays as annual tax to the Government, he said. He cautioned people to refrain from smoking since they have to face serious ailments and said some major diseases caused due to tobacco smoking are strokes, heart disease and cancer.

He said tobacco smoking also leads to impotence and warned that 18,000 cancer patients are treated in the NCI every year for smoking complications. “Authorities should take measures to ban the sale of tobacco-related products near educational institutions, religious places, bus stands, railway stations, cinema halls, auditoriums and especially at welfare shops in workplaces,” he said.