Senate ratifies int’l treaty against tobacco

The Senate has finally ratified a treaty on tobacco control initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO), making the Philippines the 63rd country to approve this foremost international convention on public health.

Nineteen senators were present when the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was deliberated on during third reading and all of them gave their nod to Resolution 195, ratifying the treaty, said Dr. Encarnita Limpin, president of the FCTC Alliance Philippines.

"We are happy that the senators realized the importance of this treaty. We hope the ratification will also translate into the strict implementation of our own law on tobacco," Limpin said.

She referred to Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulations Act of 2003 that reflects most of the provisions in the treaty.

Both RA 9211 and the FCTC treaty regulate the use and promotion of cigarettes in order to better protect people from tobacco-related illnesses. These laws also mandate that advertisement and sponsorship of tobacco products be banned by 2008.

RA 9211 also prohibits smoking in enclosed public places, including public passenger vehicles. It also bans the sale of cigarettes to minors, among other stipulations.

An estimated P40 billion of Filipinos’ income is lost annually to health-care costs arising from loss of productivity due to tobacco-related diseases.

Last December, President Arroyo signed into law RA 9334 otherwise known as the alcohol and cigarette excise tax law, which increases the excise tax rates on alcohol and tobacco products.

Lung cancer is one of four major illnesses directly related to smoking and use of tobacco products, according to a 1999 study conducted by the Department of Health (DOH).

The DOH said the cost of treatment and loss of productivity brought about by lung cancer stood at P817 million; chronic lung obstruction, P4.9 billion; coronary artery diseases, P13.5 billion; cardiovascular diseases P23 billion; and P5 billion for other related ailments.

There are about 40 diseases directly related to smoking and tobacco use.

According to the WHO, tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. It is currently responsible for about five million deaths each year, or one in 10 adults worldwide.

"If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today – that is about 650 million people – will eventually be killed by tobacco," WHO said in its website.