Anti-smoking advocacy group New Vois Association of the Philippines said it fully supports the proposal to prohibit the sale and smoking in public of cigarettes on the 15th day of each month.
NVAP president Engineer Emer Rojas said his group advocates House Bill 41, otherwise known as the “Cigarette Holiday Act” filed by Cebu City Rep. Rodrigo Abellonasa last month.
“The proposal to designate a day without cigarette smoking is laudable and should thus be supported. It will literally be a refreshing way to have one entire day where the country will be free of poisonous cigarette smoke,” said Rojas.
A survivor from cancer in the vocal chords caused by chain smoking, he said that having the “Cigarette Holiday” may make people realize that it is possible to live for a day without tobacco.
“Living without cigarettes is a step forward in attaining better public health. However, we, the victims of tobacco believe the proposed bill may need further study and deliberations to make it enforceable by the state as well as acceptable to the people,” the NVAP president said.
He also noted that such a proposal was in support of the planned smoking ban by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Duterte has already expressed his intention to implement a nationwide smoking ban just like what he did in Davao City when he was still the mayor. The cigarette holiday is definitely an initial step towards achieving that goal,” Rojas said.
Duterte earlier said he would implement a no smoking policy in all enclosed public areas nationwide and prohibit the designation of smoking areas.
Both the proposed law and Duterte’s pronouncements, according to Rojas, could serve as part of the overall adoption of the endgame strategy for tobacco.
“We are hoping the administration will continue to play a key role in protecting the people’s health. Doing so will benefit not only the government but also the general public,” he said.
Based on the endgame strategy of tobacco control advocates in other countries, there is a need for a reduction of current tobacco use to a prevalence rate of five percent or below.
This is far lower than the World Health Organization target, which is a 30-percent relative reduction by 2025 from the 2010 baseline.
The top three approaches for the endgame strategy, Rojas said, include the increase in taxes for tobacco products, placing graphic health warnings in cigarette packs, and promoting a smoke-free environment.
The Philippine government has already passed the Sin Tax Law, which increases the tax rate for cigarette products, and the Graphic Health Warning law, which makes it mandatory to place pictures of tobacco-related illnesses in cigarette packs.
