Non Smoking Sri Lanka in future?

Young people no longer attracted to smoking  

Greater awareness on health consequences 

During the last 15 years, tobacco sales dropped by 65 per cent

20,000 deaths reported annually due to smoking

Sri Lankans spend Rs. 520 million on  cigarettes daily 

6,612 tons of tobacco were produced in Sri Lanka in 2022 on 982  hectares of quality agricultural land

By HUZEFA ALIASGER and PRANAVESH SIVAKUMAR

Sri Lanka is presently heading towards a ‘no-smokers’ zone’  due to the youngsters aged 15-25 staying away from the habit, an  official from the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) said.   

Executive Director of ADIC Sampath De Saram told the Daily  Mirror that currently only 1.5 million smokers are in the country, and  of these, 40+ is the leading age group for smokers.   

“This is entirely because, during their day and age, this was a trending habit,” he said.   

“The young blood is now resorting to other hale and hearty  habits of gym, consumption of healthy food, careful of their appearance, to body structure. Therefore, they have also realised smoking directly  destroys all these healthy habits”, he added.  

The startling fact is, the age group of 15-25, the next  generation of the country, are gradually moving away from chain-smoking.    

Albeit this is the age the habit starts, youngsters are  also becoming increasingly health-conscious. This is despite, smoking  was once treated and picked up as a fashionable habit.   

Added to this are the rules and regulations that prohibit smoking in public.   

Traditional smokers are also quitting since they realise there is no value in this addiction.   

During the last 15 years, tobacco sales in the island have dropped by 65 per cent.  

On a global scale, tobacco is portraying a declining trend.  In most countries, including Sri Lanka, the number of smokers is  declining.   

ADIC also revealed that 20,000 deaths annually are reported due  to the use of cigarettes. Sri Lankans spend Rs. 520 million on  cigarettes daily, with a 75 per cent tax rate on cigarettes, which is one  of the highest tax rates for cigarettes in the world.   

The ADIC said that there was an increase of 80 per cent in  the spread of non-communicable diseases in Sri Lanka, and consumption of  alcohol and cigarettes was a key cause.   

Based on the Tobacco Atlas, an interactive tool to generate  up-to-date direct and indirect costs of tobacco for most countries,  there were 6,612 tons of tobacco produced in Sri Lanka in 2022 on 982  hectares of quality agricultural land that could have been used to grow  food otherwise.