"In a 2009 report from
the Philippine Global Adult Survey, there are an estimated 17.3 million
Filipinos ages 15 and older who are tobacco users".
A few months ago, the Republic
Act 10351 also known as the Sin Tax Law has been passed with the purposes of
increasing the revenues needed by the government to support and upgrade the
public health sector especially the hospital and other healthcare related
services and lessening the incidence of smoke related illnesses and death. This
was signed and passed by the bicameral committee last year and took effect
January of this year. Smoking has been a big issue and problem for many
Filipinos and even around the world with many people becoming troubled with the
health-related risks associated with this. With the recent passing of this law
many of these smokers shifted to cheaper brands instead of lessening their
consumption of this cheap but deadly vice.
·
About 60% of men smoke.
·
A recent survey of Filipino adult smokers found
99.8% cited tobacco advertisements as one factor for initiating smoking.
·
More than half of Filipino households are not
smoke-free.
·
As many as 40% of adolescents boys smoke; most
began in their early teens. Another 6% were former smokers. The majority of
these young smokers said peer pressure was one reason why they took up smoking.
Most now wish they did not smoke and about two-thirds have tried to give up.
·
There are no national laws prohibiting minors
from buying cigarettes.
·
About 200,000 Filipino men will develop
smoking-related diseases in their productive years of age. It was estimated in
1999, that to provide healthcare for these sick men, and the loss in
productivity, cost Filipino taxpayers some P43 billion.
·
Every year, there are about 20,000
smoking-related deaths in the country.
·
Tobacco use will drain nearly 20% of the
household income of smokers' families.
·
Many vendors of cigarettes are children.
How much does an average
cigarette cost in current sin tax prices?
In my recent survey and visit
with local supermarkets, convenience stores and nearby family retail stores, a
pack of cigarettes cost around PhP 40.00 to PhP 50.00 depending on the Brand
and a ream of cigarettes (10 packs) cost an average of PhP 450.00 to PhP
500.00. A stick of cigarettes (per Tingi) cost about an average of
PhP 3.00 to PhP 5.00 per stick from previous of PhP 0.50 to PhP 1.00 per stick
old pre-Sin tax prices. The cheapest brand sold by a street vendor is around P
1.00.
Let's set an example, Juan is
a 29 year old man, a chain smoker and a family man. He consumes a ream of
cigarettes (10 packs bundle) for a month with current sin tax law prices at PhP
450.00 multiplied by 52 weeks in a year is about PhP 23,400.00 in a year. Let say
his annual salary minus taxes is about PhP 155,000.00 in a year. He spends
about an average of PhP 25,000.00.
"Tobacco use will
drain nearly 20% of the household income of smokers' families".
That PhP 23,400.00 of money
could be used in financing a capital for a small business, get a child to good
school or allocate the money through other investment instruments available in
the market such us a mutual fund or a unit investment trust fund or engage in
stock trading and others.
Health-issues on Smoking
and Smoking-related illnesses
In the Global Adult Tobacco
Survery (GATS) 2009, 10.6 is average number of cigarettes smoked per day by
cigarette smokers in the Philippines. However, the recent industry estimates
shows that the consumption have increased at 14.13 sticks of cigarette per smoker
in the second quarter of this year. It rose from 13.53 per smoker on the first
quarter of this year making a 0.6% increase.
Medical / scientific studies
shows that there are an estimated number of 60 known carcinogens and 4,000
chemical agents that are harmful to us that is found inside a single piece
of cigarette being lit and smoked. Second hand smoke is more harmful to
non-smokers especially pregnant women, children or people with asthma. 71%
Percentage of lung cancer deaths in the world that can be attributed to
tobacco.
"The government spends PhP 177 Billion an estimated annual cost of
the four leading smoking-related diseases — cancer, heart attack, stroke and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)".
It is ironic how the government
is spending billions of pesos for healthcare of people afflicted with such
illness and it only makes a few billion pesos on the taxes collected in tobacco
products.
On hindsight, you will be
paying more on your medical and dental bills and even in your insurance
premiums if you are a smoker.
Smoking Ban on Public areas
and the workplace
The passing of Republic Act
9211: Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 brought about enforcement of this law by
local government agency in which they have adapted these laws in implementing
its rules and regulation through local ordinances imposed by the local
government officials in their respective cities or town. The City of Makati is
one of those who spearheaded no smoking policy on business establishments.
People caught were imposed with fines. Metro Manila Development Authority
(MMDA) has deputized environment officer in order to impose this law and
apprehend violators with a hefty fine. Other Local Government Units are
following suit in of protecting the people, children and the environment from
the dangers of smoking.
Government offices through
Civil Service Commission released Memorandum Circular No. 17 reiterating its
commitment to have a 100% smoke-free bureaucracy. Then in 2010, the Civil Service Commission and Department of Health
(DOH) issued a first-of-its-kind joint memorandum circular known as the Joint
DOH and CSC MC 2010-01 on the “Protection of the Bureaucracy Against Tobacco
Industry Intervention” which, among other measures, provides specific
guidelines for interactions with the tobacco industry.
Some private companies are
also imposing smoking bans in workplaces because smoking can hurt your job
prospects in which some companies would entirely removed smokers from their
work or let go of employees who would NOT kick the habit.
Smoking at home should be
discouraged
Influences through adult
models, peers, the media and society where child is exposed daily are another
factor where smoking is becoming normal for him/her. We know that children see
what adults do through observational learning. It is a way which kids learn
this vice. These factors make them vulnerable to smoking when they reach the
adolescent age or beyond those years.
Reasons why you should you
quit smoking
Smoking is a hard habit to
break if you are addicted to it. If you are determined and motivated in
quitting this you should have a clear reason why you are going to do this. May
it be for your family, your well-being, self-control or your financial reasons?
Kicking the habit tremendously help you mentally and physically. Never lose
focus. Remember that eleven (11) minutes of your life is wasted with a
cigarette you smoke. Chances are if you quit you could still live longer and
see yourself and your family grow, breathe clearer (no more coughing or hacking
up phlegm or the undesirable odor), restore and rejuvenate yourself and live
better.
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