Asean asked to pressure members on reducing tobacco consumption

MANILA, Philippines – A Thailand-based anti-tobacco group yesterday asked the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to pressure their governments to adopt a policy to reduce tobacco consumption.

In a press statement, Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) director Bungon Ritthiphakdee said that ASEAN health ministers must lead the fight against tobacco smoking.

Ritthiphakdee said minors should not have access to cigarettes to prevent them from picking up the habit.

She claimed that in the Philippines, even an eight-year-old child could buy cigarettes from the neighborhood store.

“It’s very easy. Most storeowners assume that the child or teenager has been sent by an adult to buy cigarettes for them. And, of course, cigarettes are so cheap that a young child with P2 would be able to buy one cigarette stick,” she added.

SEATCA had called ASEAN health officials to attend the 9th ASEAN Health Minister’s Meeting to pressure their governments to adopt policies that will make it more difficult for people – adults and minors – to buy cigarettes.

The group said that while the World Health Organization Initiated-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the first public health treaty against cigarettes, had been signed by 160 countries, only a few have implemented strict tobacco control measures, particularly increasing taxes.

Ritthiphakdee maintained that tax rates are an indication of a country’s seriousness in reducing or eliminating tobacco consumption.

Health Undersecretary Alex Padilla said the Philippines has the lowest tax prices of cigarettes among ASEAN countries.

“The Philippine government increased the excise tax on cigarettes from P2 to P2.23 per pack of low-priced brands, from P5.35 to P6.74 per pack of mid-priced brands, and from P10.35 to P10.88 per pack of high-priced brands,” he said.

Padilla added that Singapore imposes a tax rate of 64 percent while Thailand imposes duties equal to 63 percent of the price per pack of tobacco products.