Six persons die of smoking every second - Prof. Carlo Fonseka

By Ananda KANNANGARA

Cigarette smoking became a fashion among 60 percent younger generation during the middle part of the last century. This situation became worse during the 1970s as both youngsters and elder people were in the habit of smoking at places such as bus stands, railway stations, hotels, markets, funeral houses etc. etc.

Prof. Carlo Fonseka A pictorial warning

Even schoolchildren in the urban, remote and the rural sectors used tobacco related products which were even banned by law. Some tobacco related products were considered as illegal drugs.

Although people believe that cigarettes are different from other illegal tobacco products, since they are manufactured with the Government's approval, any kind of cigarette whether they are legally or illegally manufactured could be reconsidered as the number one killer in the world.

At a recent seminar, organised by the Jeewaka Foundation , Chairman, National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol(NATA), Prof. Carlo Fonseka highlighted that every second, six persons in the world die of tobacco smoking.

Referring to National Cancer Hospital records , Prof. Fonseka said 20,000 people in our country die of lung and oral cancers annually. Health reports also indicate that majority oral and lung cancers originate from tobacco smoking.

The Professor warned elders, especially fathers to refrain from smoking in the presence of their young male children. He said elders should set up examples to youngsters how to refrain from tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption.

He also highlighted the risk of passive smoking and asked people not to be with persons who are addicted to tobacco smoking. He said one smoker could destroy the innocent lives of a large number of non-smokers.

Prof. Fonseka also spoke of the `Mathata Thitha' concept , implemented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and said that this concept helped to reduce cigarette smoking and also alcohol consumption to a greater extent.

When Sunday Observer last week interviewed a cross section of the public on this subject a majority were of the view that unlike in the recent past cigarette smoking has drastically reduced.

Twenty-six-year-old school boy Neranjan Peris said he used to smoke at the age of 22, but stopped smoking two years ago. He said he spent over Rs. 110 a day on cigarettes.

Schoolteacher Gamini Ranaweera said he conducts smoking awareness programs very often and said such programs immensely help people in his area to reduce smoking.

Kamal Perera of Agalawatta said although his father was a heavy smoker he had never smoked as he was aware of the risk of smoking.

A businessman, Sarath Pamunuwa of Kalutara wants the authorities to prohibit selling cigarette at cinema halls. It will badly affect non-smokers.

Pradeep Ranaweera of Panadura urge the authorities to ban selling cigarettes at public functions.

Prof. Fonseka also said the importance of printing pictorial warning labels on cigarette packs since they could easily communicate to the people of the harmful impact of tobacco use was a welcome sign.

He predicted that if warning labels are displayed in pictorial form on cigarette packs the consumption of cigarettes in our country could be drastically reduced."If the use of cigarettes and other tobacco products are not controlled even at this juncture, thousands of our younger generation will die of oral and lung cancer in the future,".

It is common to see over 40 countries including Canada, Australia, Thailand, Singapore and Nepal use pictorial warning labels on cigarette packs in order to discourage people on tobacco smoking.

If Sri Lanka too adopts this method from now on, it could not only save valuable lives, especially the younger generation, but a colossal sum of money currently spent by the Government on cancer patients. Some of the warning labels, the NATA proposes are `Smoking causes lung cancers'-`Smoking causes 92 percent oral cancers'- `Cigarettes cause strokes'-`Smoking causes blindness'-`Cigarettes cause mouth diseases'-`Cigarettes hurt babies'-`Smoking can cause a slow and painful death', 'Smoking causes heart attacks',

In addition, he urged the authorities to stop selling cigarettes in school premises, religious places and inside buses and trains to avoid youngsters getting involved in smoking. Prof. Fonseka also highlighted the invaluable service rendered by the Maharagama National Cancer Institute, Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa for treating cancer patients even without considering his duty hours and also attending cancer awareness programs countrywide to educate people on the risks of cancer. He also thanked the Jeewaka Foundation, President Manjari Peiris for her effort to conduct cancer awareness programs often.