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Wimal’s cinnamon cig: SL may lose WHO tobacco control funding

25 Mar 2021

  • SL one of 15 countries selected out of 60 for funding

  Sri Lanka is likely to lose World Health Organisation (WHO) funding for tobacco control in Sri Lanka due to the recently introduced cinnamon cigarette championed by Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa. “Sri Lanka was an example to the world to study about tobacco control, but due to this illegal cigarette, everything would change,“ said WHO National Professional Officer Thirupathy Suveendran, speaking at a press conference in Colombo yesterday (24). He explained that under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), through the FCTC 2030 project, Sri Lanka received assistance to undertake a government-wide programme to strengthen tobacco control. “Sri Lanka received funds for tobacco control for four years. The FCTC extended it for another year, considering the efforts and the results. The FCTC only selected 15 countries to fund out of 60, and Sri Lanka is one of them.” The locally produced, nicotine-free cinnamon cigarette was introduced on 17 March and promoted by the Minister of Industries. A total of 20 expert opinions were presented in opposition to the said controversial cinnamon cigarette during the press conference organised yesterday by the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA). Experts from the Ministry of Health, the National Cancer Control Programme, the Universities of Colombo and Rajarata, the Ayurvedic Medical Officers Association (AMOA), the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre, the Sri Lanka Medical Association, the WHO, the Healthy Lanka Alliance for Development, the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, and the Government Medical Officers’ Association as well as other medical experts were present. According to NATA Chairman Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa, it could be observed that the demand for cigarettes had decreased when one compares the statistics for the 2000-2020 period.  “We have introduced a new formula for the cigarette tax as well, and this would be presented to the Minister of Finance soon. After this tax is implemented, the prices of cigarettes would increase and it would discourage cigarette smoking,” he added. Dr. Rajapaksa further added that the NATA opposed the cinnamon cigarette from the beginning and informed so to the relevant company and the other relevant parties. “When we sent a letter mentioning our opposition towards the cinnamon cigarette, the cigarette manufacturing company, Nature’s Agro Products Lanka, sent us a letter through a law firm, mentioning that they have approvals from the parties involved in this process.” When the NATA had inquired from these parties, including the National Intellectual Property Office, the Import and Export Control Department, the Excise Department, the Trade Investment Policy Department, and the Consumer Affairs Authority, it had been revealed that none of these institutions had granted permission to process this cigarette. “According to the NATA Act No. 27 of 2006, it is illegal to promote this product,” Dr. Rajapaksa added. However, Dr. Rajapaksa, responding to a query on whether legal action would be taken in this regard, said that the NATA Act contained no provisions for such, adding that all they could do is to inform the relevant state and governmental authorities concerning the issue, which they noted they had already done. Meanwhile, speaking at the same media briefing, the AMOA pointed out that the Nature’s Agro Products Lanka company describing their cigarette as an Ayurvedic product, was also illegal. Smoking causes cancers, heart diseases, strokes, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases the risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, and rheumatoid arthritis, according to health experts. Smoking cannot be stopped by alternatives like cinnamon cigarettes, as per the health experts. Furthermore, the experts also said that this cinnamon cigarette could be a gateway drug to convert non smokers to smokers.


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