Doctors back MMDA’s smoking ban

THE Philippine Medical Association (PMA) today called enjoined its members to support the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) drive to strictly enforce the smoking ban in public places in the metropolis.

Newly re-elected PMA President Oscar D. Tinio, in a message directed to its 70,000 members nationwide, reiterated his organization’s advocacy for a Smoke Free Philippines which the PMA launched February this year.

 “We would like to congratulate MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino for demonstrating the political will required to enforce the smoking ban in public places across the National Capital Region.” Tinio said.

 “Smoking kills! As physicians, it is our duty to inform the public of the clear and present danger of tobacco smoking against our health and lives” he added.

 “Second hand and even third hand tobacco smoke equally kills people” Tinio added as he cites a study on Metro Manila’s 12 million inhabitants showing that more than twenty per cent (20%) of heart attacks in Metro Manila can be attributed to second hand smoke. The study was done by the World Lung Foundation (WLF) and the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.

 The same study also revealed that if one’s average exposure to second hand tobacco smoke in Metro Manila is one to seven hours per week the total attributable heart attacks would be approximately ten per cent (10%). But if the average number of hours of exposure is more than 21 hours per week, the number of second hand smoke related heart attacks in Metro Manila would increase to more than 20 per cent (20%) of the total heart attacks incident in the metropolis.

“A separate study done in the United States by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showed that only by eliminating smoking in indoor spaces can a non–smoker be fully protected from exposure to second-hand smoke. This study further confirms that the usual practice of separating smokers from non-smokers in public places cannot eliminate dangerous exposures of non-smokers to second hand smoke even if air cleaning devices and building ventilations are used” Tinio continues.

 “These shocking revelations necessitate the total ban on tobacco smoke in public places. There are existing Philippine laws on smoking but its enforcement is poorly implemented. The Philippines was among the 172 countries that originally signed the World Health Organization - Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), the first international treaty negotiated under the WHO and entered into force on February 25, 2005. This treaty was developed in response to the globalization of the fatal tobacco epidemic. The Philippines is yet to fully comply on its obligations under the said treaty.