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LUNG
disease, heart and blood- vessel complications, high
risk of getting certain cancers—these are just some of
the harmful effects smoking has on people. Cigarette
smoke contains more than 4,000 poisonous substances,
such as tar, carbon monoxide and nicotine, that damage
the respiratory and cardiovascular system.
Aside
from causing lung and heart problems, smoking also
damages the sense of sight, taste and smell, as well as
results in premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath
and permanent stains in the teeth and fingernails.
Unfortunately, smoking affects nonsmokers as well.
Statistics show that nonsmoker who breathes in
“sidestream” and “mainstream” smoke have a 35-percent
increased risk of acquiring respiratory complications.
This is
called passive, involuntary or secondhand smoke which
exposes nonsmokers to the same dangers and discomforts
that smokers face.
The
World Health Organization declares that tobacco is the
world’s leading preventable cause of death in the world,
with an estimated death of 5 million each year, or an
average of one death every six seconds.
At the
current rate, the death toll is projected to reach more
than 8 million annually by 2030 and a total of up to 1
billion deaths in the 21st century.
To
protect the populace from the possible hazards of
smoking and promote the right to health, governments
from all around the world regulate the manufacture and
sale of tobacco products.
Tobacco
advertising on television has been banned in Europe
since the early 1990s, and in July 2005 the European
Union Tobacco Advertising Directive took effect. The
directive totally bans tobacco advertising in the print
media, on radio and on the Internet.
A number
of EU member-states, including Finland, Ireland,
Portugal and the UK, already have wide ranging tobacco
advertising bans in place.
In the
Philippines Republic Act 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation
Act of 2003, regulates the packaging, use, sale,
distribution and advertisements of tobacco products.
The main
thrusts of the policy is to promote health, inform
consumers on the risks of tobacco use, and protect the
youth from being introduced to smoking while ensuring
the preservation of the tobacco industry in the interest
of tobacco farmers and other stakeholders.
In
January 2007 the law mandated a total ban on tobacco
advertising on television, cable TV and radio and, in
July of the same year, prohibited all cinema and outdoor
advertising of cigarettes, including billboards,
distribution or posting of leaflets and posters, among
others.
RA 9211
has also required packages containing tobacco products
to be printed with a health warning on the bottom of the
front panel, which should occupy at least 30 percent of
the panel, including the border or frame.
The
health warning should be introduced by “GOVERNMENT
WARNING” and followed by any of the statements,
“Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health,”
“Cigarettes Are Addictive,” “Tobacco Smoke Can Harm Your
Children,” or “Smoking Kills.”
This
year the total ban on the different forms of tobacco
advertising, promotion and sponsorship is currently
being implemented to break the tobacco-marketing net.
Section
22 of RA 9211 bans all forms of tobacco advertising in
mass media starting July 1, 2008, except in the premises
of point-of-sale retail establishments.
Also
taking effect simultaneous with the prohibition on
tobacco ads is the ban on sponsorships of cigarette and
tobacco companies.
Section
26 of RA 9211 states, “Cigarette and tobacco companies
are prohibited from sponsoring any sport, concert,
cultural event or art event, as well as individual and
team athletes, artists or performers where such
sponsorship shall require or involve advertisement or
promotion of any cigarette or tobacco company, tobacco
product or tobacco use , name, logo or trademarks and
other word, symbols, designs, colors or other depictions
commonly associated with or likely to identify tobacco
products.”
Aside
from being aimed at reducing, if not totally stop, death
and diseases attributable to tobacco, regulation in
tobacco advertising helps ensure that interest of the
consuming public is not compromised for the sake of a
higher profit. It holds concerned industries duty-bound
to make consumer welfare a primary concern in the
conduct of business.
However,
consumers need to do their share of responsibility—to
make use of available information in assessing the
impact of tobacco smoking to their own well-being and to
other people.
The
government has already issued a warning to tobacco and
advertising firms that regular and routine inspections
will be done to check the compliance of every locality
on the prohibition of tobacco advertisements nationwide.
Violations of Sections 22 and 26 will be meted with
corresponding penalty as stated under Section 32 of RA
9211 with a fine of P100,000 to P400,000, or
imprisonment of up to three years depending on the
recurrence of the offense, and upon the discretion of
the court.
The
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) calls on
consumers to report tobacco-related complaints,
particularly advertising violations to DTI Direct,
751-3330; or to the Department of Health (DOH)
Complaints Hotline, 535-459, open Monday to Friday, from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The DTI
chairman and DOH vice chairman lead the Interagency
Committee on Tobacco. Other representatives are from the
departments of Science and Technology, Justice,
Agriculture, Education, Environment and Natural
Resources and Finance, the National Tobacco
Administration, Philippine Tobacco Institute and the
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance
Philippines.
* * *
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