WHY DELAY CABINET PAPER ON RESTRICTING CIGARETTE CONSUMPTION: GMOA
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) questions the government as to why the Cabinet paper on restricting cigarette consumption is being delayed.
Addressing a press briefing the association secretary said they have reasons to believe that parties with vested interest were attempting to delay the Cabinet paper.
“We have handed over a ten-point proposal to President Maithripala Sirisena to minimize the cigarette usage in the country, explaining the harmfulness of tobacco on September 9, last year. The proposals were prepared after a comprehensive study under the World Health Organization (WHO) Frame Work Convention on Tobacco Control,” he said.
To ensure the people’s right to live, Dr. De Zoysa said the organization said that cigarette poses a health hazard not only to the smoker but also to the people around them as passive smokers.
However, Dr. De Zoysa said almost six months have been passed since the handing over of the proposals to the President but selling cigarettes in single sticks which was a key proposal of them has not been implemented yet.
“We have reasons to believe that the Cabinet paper is being delayed intentionally at the instance of few individuals in the government. Implementing the proposals as soon as possible would
We have handed over a tenpoint proposal to the President to minimize the cigarette usage in the country, explaining the harmfulness of tobacco on September 9, last year
immensely be helpful in reducing smoking habit among the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. De Zoysa said banning cigarettes selling in single sticks alone would not be fruitful and the government should introduce a licence system for the sellers while restricting selling points as well.
He said that his association will stay alert on the government’s move to restrict cigarettes consumption in the country and said they believe that the President Sirisena and the Unity government would introduce a Cabinet paper in this regard immediately.