VSMMC: Slight Reduction of Cigarette Smokers Seen this Year

Health authorities in Cebu province on Tuesday affirmed the slight reduction of cigarette smokers this year compared to the time when the sin tax bill is still being debated in the legislature.

Doctor Christopher Samson, Hospital Wellness Program Coordinator of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), stated this observation during the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) forum
held at the Department of Health (DOH) regional office 7.

Samson, who acted as one of the panelists of the forum, said they are strongly advocating the “no smoking” campaign all throughout the year.

He said this advocacy means they are educating people to avoid smoking and to refrain from drinking liquor. Although he failed to mention the percentage of the decrease, he confirmed that the apparent decline of cigarette smokers is due to the price increase of cigarette products mandated by the sin tax law.

The government, after the passage of the sin tax bill, allowed cigarette manufacturers to raise cigarette prices for them to cope with the increasing taxes. The annual sin taxes paid by cigarette and liquor manufacturers have yielded the government a total of P33 billion for the first year of its implementation in 2012.

The bulk of this amount was utilized by the government’s health agency to augment its facilities and medical supplies for the poor, Samson said.

If there are cigarette smokers who are now attempting to leave this vice, much more so, since health authorities posted a photo of a man with swollen lips caused by cancer due to smoking. “Mosamot gyud kahadlok ang mga smoker”, he added.

He also asked the government to boldly attach in the said photo all cigarette packs to warn smokers on the dangerous effects of cigarette smoking.

Samson said that not only the smoker himself risks his life but all members of his family, who automatically become second-hand smokers.

“This is the reason why the VSMMC maintains its policy on not accepting any job applicants who are cigarette smokers.” Samson said.

He also cited that ten people died everyday due to lung cancer caused by cigarette smoking.