Gov''t Urged to Implement Measures to Curb Tobacco Use

Source from:  Philippine Star 05/18/2015

Anti-smoking advocates called on the government yesterday to implement measures to reduce tobacco use by at least 30 percent to prevent more deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCD).

Emer Rojas, New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) president, said a 30 percent drop in tobacco use among Filipinos is essential to curb the growing number of deaths from NCDs.

"Because risk factors associated with the development of NCDs are preventable, it is very important to increase efforts and collaboration aimed at changing social behavior to turn these lifestyle-borne diseases around," he said.

Rojas said NCDs like cancer and cardiovascular diseases are now the leading causes of deaths, but that these could be prevented by altering one's lifestyle.

The implementation of the sin tax and the graphic health warning laws are steps in the right direction, he added.

However, Rojas said other measures are needed to significantly reduce smoking prevalence.

About 17. 3 million people nationwide are smokers.

Based on studies, a 30-percent reduction in country rates of adult tobacco use could cut down by 25 percent the deaths caused by the top four non-communicable diseases, Rojas said. Enditem