I was checking my e-mails on Thunderbird when I noticed one of my recent messages from New Vois Association about the 20th World No Tobacco Day which will be tomorrow, May 31. There will be a free concert at the Rajah Sulayman Park in Malate, Manila at 6 PM. I'm not sure if I'll be there but I support this cause 100%.
I wasn't driven to support this campaign just because I'm a nurse, but since at a young age, I've witnessed some horrors that smoking can bring to an individual, the family and the community. In fact, this is a huge problem around the world that even strict legislation can barely control the people who are part of this problem.
Smoking is one of the most dangerous habits one can develop. It doesn't kill just the smokers but the others around them. What's worse is that the non-smokers are the ones that are more affected. According to the articles found on the FCAP website, there are 4.7 million households in the Philippines that can't provide enough money for food, education and health but still set a larger portion of their earnings just so they can go on smoking.
There is a House Bill that is still being debated in the Congress on whether to put graphic images of the effects of smoking on cigarette packs. HB 3364, which proposes "An Act to Effectively Instill Health Consciousness Through Picture-based Health Warnings on Tobacco Products" will require tobacco companies to put on their product wrappers photographs of diseases or disabilities caused by smoking, as a form of warning buyers what they may be getting. Unfortunately, this proposal is being ganged up against by our voted lawmakers. They say that they are just concerned about the imminent disaster that will happen to our economy should this be approved into a law. However, insiders confirmed a bribery of 20 grand to the congressmen who attended and voted no against the bill. Sadly, this is how politics is like at the House of Representatives.
True enough, the tobacco industry is one of the leading sources of income in the Philippines. We are one of the world exporters of tobacco. In fact, the government earns up to Php92 billion on taxes of tobacco companies. We all agree that that is one hell of an income on our standards and showing those graphic images, which will definitely affect the sales of cigarettes, will have a bad effect on the economic advantage of cigarettes. But did you know that the amount earned from tobacco companies is barely half of what the government spends on medical services related to diseases caused by smoking? Yes, our beloved Philippines spends Php276 billion to hospitalize people who got their disease from cigarette smoking. Now if these crooks understand math, why are they still opposing this bill? To protect the tobacco farmers my ass. You liars and thieves are one of the biggest reasons why this country will never progress!
I am just a nobody on the Internet but I hope that everybody who will read this will show some support to this cause. Here are the links on how you can show your support:
- Sign the petition for the passage of the Picture-Based Warning Law & pass it on
- Send a name of a tobacco victim to the Virtual Memorial for Tobacco Victims
- Report a violation of the Outdoor Advertising Ban or Smoke-Free Ban
- Post a Smoke Free Poster in a high-traffic Public Place
- Advise Retail Store Owners that their tobacco Billboard& Signage constitute a violation under RA 9211 (sample demand letter)
- Tell a friend 5 things he/she needs to know before he/she starts/continues smoking
- Refer or provide access to public places where we can set up a Booth for the Signature Campaign on the Picture-Based Health Warning Law
- Link your website to the FCAP website
- Tell your friends about the FCAP website
- Share the TRUTH
In January 2009, I wrote a related Filipino article on my other blog to promote a documentary about smoking and its devastating effects.There is a video there called Boses Upos, a documentary from the program called i-Witnes, which I recommend watching.
Oh, and did you know that 20 Filipinos have already died from smoking the entire time that I was writing this article? Yeah.
kaya namatay father ko dahil sa lung cancer. since 13 y/o nagyoyosi
