New health warnings on tobacco packs by March 3, group urges gov’t

MANILA – A health advocacy group on Friday called on the government to ensure that all tobacco packs churned out by local and imported manufacturers in the Philippines to bear the new graphic health warnings (GHWs) starting March 3.

In a statement, Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) said Republic Act 10643 or the GHW law requires all cigarette packs should bear the second set of the GHW templates.

“As prescribed under the GHW Law (RA 10643), the first set of GHW templates issued by the Department of Health (DOH) and enforced since 3 March 2016 are valid for only two years. Last year, the DOH already issued a second set of GHW templates to replace the initial set, and these new templates will be valid for two years and so on,” Dorotheo said.

“It is important that health warnings and images are changed after a certain period to enhance and maintain the maximum impact over time,” he added.

He said changing the GHW on cigarette packs on a periodic basis is to prevent the public from being immune to the effects of seeing the images.

There should be no excuse for tobacco companies not to comply with the law, Dorotheo said.

“We call on the DOH to ensure that all tobacco products carry the new set of warnings and the Bureau of Internal Revenue to ensure that excise tax stamps are affixed only to tobacco products with the new warnings. Violators must be fined or prosecuted,” he added.

Under RA 10643, all cigarette packs being sold must carry graphic health warnings, showing the harmful effects of smoking both to the smoker and those who may inhale the second-hand smoke.

The law imposes penalties on tobacco manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, and sellers for the violation.

In the Philippines, 240 people die daily due to smoking-related diseases.

Aside from the GHW on cigarette packs, other efforts in curbing smoking include enforcement of Executive Order No. 26 or nationwide ban on smoking in public places.

Some of the GHW templates show that cigarette smoking can cause throat/neck and mouth cancer; premature/still births; stroke; emphysema; and asthma, among others.