Global and Sri Lankan Smoking-Related Mortality Statistics

The global community is increasingly recognising the devastating health impacts of tobacco use, presenting a significant opportunity to highlight this issue.

This year’s World No Tobacco Day is dedicated to emphasising the urgent need to protect children from the insidious influence of the tobacco industry.

Sobering Statistics and Health Consequences in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the toll of smoking is particularly severe. Every day, approximately 50 people die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses, with an annual death toll reaching around 20,000.

These fatalities are primarily due to diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and stroke.

The healthcare system bears a significant burden from treating these conditions, which also profoundly impact the families and communities of those affected.

Changing Attitudes and Economic Impacts on Tobacco Companies

Recent years have seen a shift in societal attitudes toward smoking in Sri Lanka, driven by heightened awareness of its health risks and effective public health initiatives.

This shift has resulted in a decline in adult smoking rates, leading to substantial financial losses for tobacco companies.

As their traditional customer base diminishes, these companies are exploring new strategies to maintain their market share.

The Deadly Impact of Smoking: 8 Million Deaths Annually

The World Health Organisation’s 2024 report highlights alarming statistics and critical issues related to tobacco use, underscoring its devastating global impact.

Annually, approximately 8 million people worldwide die prematurely due to cigarette use. Shockingly, an additional 900,000 non-smokers perish annually from exposure to toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke, emphasising the widespread harm caused by secondhand smoke.

The report underscores that tobacco-related deaths affect not only smokers but also individuals living in proximity to smokers. This revelation underscores the urgent need for comprehensive tobacco control measures to protect public health.

Moreover, the World Health Organisation points out that tobacco-related mortality surpasses other causes of death, including those attributed to civil wars or other global crises.

It emphasises that the economic benefits of tobacco products do not outweigh the immense social, health, and environmental costs they impose, particularly in developing countries.

The WHO introduced a global policy framework in 2003 aimed at curbing tobacco use comprehensively, addressing its economic, social, health, and environmental impacts.

Encouragingly, 183 countries have adopted this policy program, reflecting widespread international recognition of the need for concerted efforts to combat the tobacco epidemic.

These efforts are crucial in striving towards a tobacco-free world, mitigating the profound global burdens imposed by tobacco use.

The Latest Tactic to Invade Teenagers: The Rising Threat of Vaping and E-Cigarettes

Tobacco and related industries are increasingly targeting children and adolescents, aiming to cultivate a positive perception of smoking from a young age. This strategic effort by tobacco companies is designed to foster a new generation of customers.

Targeting Children and Adolescents

The tobacco industry invests heavily in advertising campaigns specifically tailored to appeal to youth.

These campaigns are meticulously crafted to influence young minds and normalise tobacco use among children and adolescents.

The industry’s extensive marketing efforts are estimated to cost as much as 8 billion US dollars annually, solely dedicated to promoting smoking.

Creating a Positive Image of Smoking

Through pervasive advertising, tobacco companies aim to associate smoking with desirable qualities like independence, maturity, and social status.

By integrating these messages into popular culture and media channels frequented by young people, they seek to influence perceptions and behaviours from an early age.

A Number of Tricks: How Smoking and Industries Target Teenagers

The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre of Sri Lanka highlights several concerning tactics employed to entice children and young people into cigarette use, as well as strategies to retain youth who are attempting to quit:

Tricks to Encourage Cigarette Use Among Youth:

1. Social Media and Media Influence: Promoting cigarettes as a desirable commodity through extensive advertising on social media, newspapers, television, and radio.
2. Financial Incentives to Social Media Influencers: Providing substantial monetary rewards to social media influencers to endorse and normalise cigarette use among their followers.
3. Introduction of E-Cigarettes: Introducing e-cigarettes as an alternative to traditional cigarettes to sustain the market, especially as smoking rates among youth decline.
4. Marketing with Different Names and Flavours: Marketing cigarettes under various names and flavours to appeal to different tastes and preferences, potentially masking the harmful nature of tobacco products.
5. Cheap Cigarettes: Offering low-cost cigarette options to make them more accessible and appealing to young people, despite health risks.
6. Advertisement Placement: Displaying cigarette advertisements in locations frequented by youth and children, sometimes accompanied by disclaimers like “Not for sale to minors,” which may paradoxically pique curiosity.
7. Organising Popular Conferences: Promoting cigarettes through popular events and conferences organised via social media platforms to enhance visibility and appeal among young audiences.

Strategies to Retain Youth Smokers:

Product Innovation: Modifying the nature and flavours of tobacco products to maintain interest and retention among young users.

These tactics underscore the ongoing challenge of preventing youth from initiating smoking and supporting those attempting to quit.

Efforts to counteract these strategies include stringent regulations on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sales, as well as comprehensive education campaigns to raise awareness about the health risks associated with smoking.

Addressing these issues requires concerted efforts from government agencies, health organisations, and communities to protect young people and promote a tobacco-free society.

A social situation that gives up smoking in Sri Lanka

Despite global trends, Sri Lanka has made significant strides in reducing cigarette use. The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre notes that although the country has seen a decline in smoking rates, there are still approximately 1.5 million smokers in Sri Lanka.

Progress in Tobacco Control Efforts in Sri Lanka

1. Reduced Cigarette Production: According to the World Health Organisation, Sri Lanka experienced a notable 19% decrease in cigarette production in 2023, reflecting both governmental policies and changing societal attitudes towards tobacco.
2. Self-Efforts to Quit: Many individuals who smoke in Sri Lanka are actively engaged in efforts to quit. This self-motivation to quit smoking underscores a growing awareness of the health risks associated with tobacco use.
3. Youth Awareness and Opposition: Particularly among the youth, there is a strong perception that smoking is both foolish and pointless. Young people in Sri Lanka are increasingly aware of the manipulative tactics employed by tobacco companies and are vocal in their opposition to these unethical strategies.

Challenges and Continuing Efforts

While progress has been made, challenges persist in achieving comprehensive tobacco control:

• Remaining Smokers: Despite declining rates, the presence of 1.5 million smokers highlights the ongoing need for targeted cessation programs and anti-smoking campaigns.

10 Effective Strategies to Curb Cigarette Use Proposed by the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre

1. Prohibition of Single Cigarette Sales: Implementing a ban on the sale of cigarettes individually to deter impulse purchases and reduce accessibility.
2. Enforcement Against E-Cigarettes: Conducting regular raids and strict enforcement actions against sellers of e-cigarettes, which are already banned, to curb their availability and use.
3. Smoke-Free Zones Around Schools: Establishing a prohibition on smoking within 100 meters of educational institutions to protect children and adolescents from exposure to secondhand smoke.
4. Scientific Price Formula: Introducing a scientifically determined price formula for cigarettes to prevent price manipulation and ensure consistency in pricing.
5. Tobacco Tax Increase: Implementing regular increases in tobacco taxes to raise the price of cigarettes, thereby discouraging consumption and reducing affordability.
6. Standardised Packaging: Introducing regulations for standard packaging methods for tobacco products, which may include plain packaging without branding to reduce attractiveness.
7. School-Based Education Programs: Incorporating education about tobacco companies’ tactics into school curricula to increase awareness among children and youth about the risks and marketing strategies of tobacco products.
8. Ban on Online Advertising: Prohibiting the promotion and advertising of tobacco products through online platforms to limit exposure, especially among younger demographics.
9. Legislative Amendments: Proposing substantive amendments to the National Tobacco and Alcohol Authority Act to strengthen regulations and enhance control over tobacco products.
10. Environmental Protection: Enforcing laws similar to those banning single-use plastics to prevent the release of cigarette filters into the environment, addressing environmental pollution caused by tobacco waste.

Proposed strategies

These proposed strategies aim to comprehensively tackle the issue of tobacco use in Sri Lanka by addressing various aspects including availability, affordability, marketing, education, and environmental impact.

Implementing these measures in conjunction with effective enforcement and public awareness campaigns can contribute significantly to reducing smoking rates and improving public health outcomes in the country.

The Cigarette Filter That Destroys the World: Environmental Impact of Tobacco Waste

The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre highlights the alarming environmental impact of cigarette filters, shedding light on the pervasive harm caused by tobacco waste.

Each day in Sri Lanka alone, more than 6.3 million cigarette filters release over 7000 chemicals into the environment. Annually, this amounts to a staggering 2300 million cigarette filters polluting the ecosystem.

Environmental and Health Concerns

1. Chemical Pollution: Cigarette filters, composed of non-biodegradable materials like cellulose acetate, leach harmful chemicals such as nicotine, heavy metals, and plasticisers into soil and waterways.
2. Impact on Wildlife: Marine life and terrestrial animals are adversely affected by ingestion of cigarette filters, leading to ecosystem disruption and bioaccumulation of toxins.
3. Advocacy Against Tobacco Companies: Various organisations, including the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre, advocate to the government to prevent multinational tobacco companies from targeting Sri Lankan children and youth. They emphasise that protecting public health from smoking-related diseases should outweigh corporate interests.

Call for Action

1. Regulatory Measures: Enforcing stricter regulations on tobacco waste management and holding companies accountable for the environmental impact of their products.
2. Public Health Focus: Shifting the narrative to prioritise societal health gains over economic gains for multinational corporations, promoting smoking cessation as a national health priority.
3. Environmental Legislation: Introducing laws to prohibit the release of cigarette filters into the environment, mirroring actions taken against single-use plastics.

By addressing these issues comprehensively, Sri Lanka can mitigate the detrimental effects of tobacco waste on both the environment and public health, safeguarding future generations from the destructive legacy of smoking.