Pictorial warnings, a must on cigarette packs

The Sri Lanka Cancer Society (SLCS) recently highlighted the importance of printing pictorial warnings on cigarette packets and said that this would immensely help discourage the younger generation from using tobacco related products. This was made known at a seminar, conducted by the SLCS to coincide with the World No Tobacco Day.

The seminar was conducted for community leaders of the Colombo Municipal Council. SLCS, Public Education Chairperson Merle Weerasinghe and officials Ms. Peril Captain, Ms. Indrani Nanayakkara and D.W.S. Jayaratne were also present.

Explaining the ill effects on tobacco smoking, SLCS President Walter Ladduwahetty said over six million people worldwide die of tobacco related diseases and it is time to stop the younger generation from getting addicted to cigarettes and other tobacco related products.

He said printing pictorial warnings on cigarette packets will help discourage people, especially the younger generation from using tobacco products. Ladduwahetty said that steps should be taken against traders who sell cigarettes or similar products to schoolchildren.