SEATCA

Lucky Pasig City residents. It seems their local government is truly concerned about their health.

It was recently  reported that the city was giving public and private establishments two years to remove smoking areas under an amended anti-smoking ordinance by councilor Alexee Santiago.

Raquel Naciongayo, head of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), said establishments had until 2014 to remove smoking areas. The ordinance covers beerhouses, nightclubs, restaurants, shopping malls, and other private and public establishments.

However, in the enactment of tobacco laws to protect public health, and also in the execution of anti-tobacco/pro-health advocacy, there has been a long history of tobacco industry interference which undermines and very often, blocks efforts from materialising altogether. As someone who has had exposure to tobacco policies and regulation, I am fearful that tobacco industry interference is the most significant obstacle that policymakers and anti-tobacco advocates face today.

Cigarettes flavoured to taste like clove are becoming popular among new smokers because they are tasty and do not make the throat hurt, a seminar on tobacco control was told yesterday.

The aromatic eugenol chemical compound used in the "clove cigarette" helps make the smoker's air sacs numb, prompting them to inhale deeper and subsequently get addicted to the rush of nicotine, Dr Hathai Chitanont, director of Thailand Health Promotion Institute, said.