Govt spends Rs. 214 bn annually on alcohol-related health issues

By Poojathmi Rivithma 

Colombo , December 13 (Daily Mirror) - The government spends Rs. 214 billion annually to address health issues related to alcohol consumption, highlighting the significant social, economic and health challenges posed by alcohol.

In Sri Lanka, over 1.5 million adults currently smoke tobacco, with 0.1% of women and 19.7% of men affected by tobacco use.

The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol, Ruwini Wanninayaka said that alcohol consumption in Sri Lanka is responsible for 60 deaths per day, translating to an annual toll of 20,000 lives.

She stated that compared to previous years, tobacco use has been more effectively controlled, with the rate decreasing from 9.1%.

"Tobacco cultivation and cigarette waste harm the environment, affecting children indirectly by reducing access to clean air and water. Cigarette butts, often discarded in public areas, pose a danger to children who might accidentally ingest them."

The public incurs daily costs exceeding 52 million as a result of tobacco use.

Secondhand smoke (SHS) causes severe health implications for children, due to the neurotoxic effects of nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco smoke.

The government earns Rs. 92.9 billion annually from tobacco taxes.

Meanwhile, the incidence of mouth cancer has increased among males due to cigarette smoking, while the public is also affected by inhaling secondhand smoke in the air.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Steve Tamphin, an Associate Scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH) stressed on the importance of reducing tobacco use in countries with the highest burden of tobacco-related diseases and deaths.

He explained that collaboration with the WHO South Asian Tobacco Control Programme, which involves seven countries, aims to enhance leadership capacity to advocate for and promote the enactment of effective policy changes aimed at reducing tobacco use in Sri Lanka.

On a global scale, tobacco control laws have saved 35.2 million lives, with 5.6 billion people worldwide now protected by at least one strong tobacco control law.