Today is the celebration of World No Tobacco Day. Yesterday, The MMDA and 17 Local Government Unit in Manila has started deploying environmental enforcers to warn, and eventually apprehend, violators of the smoking ban in public places. Dr. Loida Alzona, division chief of MMDA’s public health and safety and environment protection said in an interview on ANC’s “Top Story” on Friday, that the MMDA will be launching an information campaign so that people will know that smoking will be prohibited in certain areas of main roads of the metropolis.
MMDA’s “environmental enforcers” will issue warnings to those who will be caught violating the provisions of Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 for the month of June. Penalties (those who will be caught are to be fined PHP 500 or $11, while those who cannot pay the fine will be made to do community service) will take effect on July.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, is more precise as to what can be considered a public place.
The IRR also dictates that in enclosed places open to the population, such as public and private workplaces and other areas not stated above (such as malls) owners, proprietors, operators, possessors, managers and administrators are required to establish smoking and non-smoking areas.
The smoking area shall be in an open space or in an area with proper ventilation and far from a non-smoking area.
While it supports the smoking ban in areas like schools, hospitals and public facilities, the Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI) said it is against the smoking ban in major and secondary roads in Metro Manila. PTI argued that the roads are not included in RA 9211's list of prohibited places, and hoped that the MMDA will reconsider its decision to implement the anti-smoking campaign.
Data from the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization showed that smoking kills.
Why only banned it in certain areas? We had this law since 2003 and they are only enforcing it now?!? Smoking kills people and the worst part is that the non-smokers get second hand smoke and get the brunt of it all! Smokers have died from causes attributed to smoking (including heart disease, emphysema, and other respiratory diseases) and these deaths alone are the result of lung cancer.
How about for the non-smokers? How do you think they died? from heart disease? What’s the cause of it? It’s due to second hand smoking and lifestyle (food they eat and lack of exercise).
I think that we should completely banned smoking (100%), Cigarette smoking is one of the most preventable cause of premature death. So, peepz, love yourselves, stop smoking!
Or maybe the government should give a higher tax for those who are making these cigarettes so that their consumers cannot afford to buy them.
How about you? What do you think?
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