Anti-smoking campaign requires political will

“The political will of a chief executive is the key to a successful implementation of the government’s anti-smoking campaign,” said Amlan Municipal Mayor Bentham dela Cruz.
Speaking in a media workshop on tobacco control advocacy, Mayor dela Cruz stressed that local leaders should take the lead in the drive against smoking from drafting the ordinance until the implementation of the law.
Massive information anti-smoking drive should be done at the barangay level as more and more young people are getting into the bad habit, he said.
Lung cancer, which is linked to smoking, ranks among the top ten causes of deaths among Filipino males, stressed Amlan Mayor.
Amlan received the Red Orchid Awards of the Department of Health (DOH) and World Health Organization (WHO), a citation given to local government units (LGUs) for initiating an aggressive anti-smoking campaign.
While the Department of Health (DOH) Region 7 cited Negros Oriental has the most positive response towards the Anti-Smoking Program among the four provinces in Central Visayas.
Aside from Amlan, the towns of Zamboanguita, Ayungon and Mabinay have also enforcing a smoking ban base on its local ordinances.
Under R.A 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, smoking tobacco is prohibited in public places such as: centers of children and youth activity such as schools, playgrounds, recreational facilities and youth hostels; elevators and stairwells; locations with fire hazards such as gas stations; hospitals and health centers, medical and dental facilities; public conveyances and public facilities such as airports, trains and bus stations except those with separate smoking areas; and, food and beverages preparation areas.
“Public conveyances” are defined as modes of transport servicing the general population such as, but not limited to, “elevators, airplanes, buses, taxicabs, ships, jeepneys, light rail transits, tricycles, and similar vehicles.”
The DOH campaign is not against smokers but that the need to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke is a right and that there should be a proper place for smokers that will not put at risk public health, dela Cruz said.