Philippines: Cancer Survivors Want Graphic Warnings on Cigarette Packs  

Source from:  ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation (ph)  04/17/2013

A group of survivors, mostly of the deadly laryngeal cancer, asked the Aquino government to push for a law that will require graphic health warnings on cigarette packs.

The New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP), whose members are also former smokers, said the current sin tax would yield better results at curbing smoking if picture labels are placed on cigarette packs.

"Most young smokers come from poor families who spend more on tobacco than on food, shelter and health. Placing picture labels on tobacco packs will specially benefit poor and illiterate young smokers who are likely to ignore text warnings that were proven to be ineffective in shielding the young from smoking," said Emer Rojas,
 NVAP's president and a former smoker who started smoking at the age of 17.

More than one in four Filipino children aged 13-15 are smokers, according to the latest Global Youth Tobacco Survey.

Rojas said the Philippines is already lagging other nations in connection with the implementation of graphic health warnings. The country is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Canada was the first among countries to require full-color graphic health warnings on cigarette packs in 2000.

Around 19 nations or more than one billion people are now covered by laws requiring picture labels on tobacco products.

"We urge our legislators to continue to show their sincerity in curbing smoking by legislating the graphic health warning law. It should have been implemented three years ago but yet, here we are, still discussing and without a law," said Rojas. Enditem