Victims urge legislators to prioritize tobacco warning label bill

MANILA, Philippines – Victims of tobacco-related illnesses yesterday urged congressmen to prioritize a bill that seeks to impose a picture-based cigarette pack warning to deter the public from smoking cigarettes.

In a press statement, the victims said lawmakers should “hurry up” the approval of House Bill 3364 to bring down the number of people who get sick with tobacco-related illnesses.

Elizabeth Pomer, a member of the Stroke Survivors Society, said she started smoking at the age of 25 and the habit had taken its toll on her health over the years, resulting in a stroke.

“I’m a living example of how cigarette ruins one’s health. We appeal to congressmen to pass this bill soon,” noted Pomer, who was the head of the systems department in a large bank when she started smoking.   

Under the proposal, cigarette companies will be required to print photographs of people who fell ill because of cigarette smoking.

Pomer believes that this strategy would be a more effective way to make people understand better the hazards of smoking. “Let’s open our eyes to the horror and grossness of the effects of smoking.”

For 69-year-old Teodoro Martin, cigarette smoking is the culprit for his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He began smoking when he was barely 18 years old.

Martin warned that his condition had affected his work, to the detriment of his family’s welfare. He advised smokers to quit smoking not only for their own health but also for the welfare of their family.

Dr. Maricar Limpin, executive director of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance-Philippines, claimed that some 80,000 Filipinos die every year because of tobacco-related illnesses.

“We are glad Pomer and Martin are here to testify about the realities of smoking and bring to light that those pictures on cigarette packs are effective in curbing the epidemic,” Limpin added.   – With Edree Estaura