Archive - Smoking

The alliance expressed “firm opposition” to proposals calling for an end to government support to tobacco farmers, imposing quotas on the manufacture and importation of tobacco products, and banning or phasing out of tobacco sales.

The Philippines is committed to "continue to pursue comprehensive measures to reduce tobacco use and protect public health" through a combination of regulation, fiscal policy and public health interventions.

As a signatory to the FCTC since 2005, the Philippines has an obligation to fully implement Article 5.3 of the treaty, which “requires the protection of public health policies from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.” This means ensuring that COP delegations do not include tobacco industry or tobacco industry-affiliated persons, among other things.

The youth, which is the target of the tobacco industry's so-called novel products, is also being tapped by health advocates to be their partners in the anti-tobacco campaign.