Filipinos to be educated about the perils of smoking

The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) yesterday called on teachers nationwide to remind their students of the perils of cigarette smoking and thereby minimize the number of young smokers in the country, according to a story in The Manila Bulletin.

“Teachers should act as role models for students and they should remind the youth on the hazards of smoking and strictly implement a 100 percent smoke-free learning institution,” said health secretary Janette Loreto-Garin.

The health chief warned parents and authorities about what she said were the worsening smoking habits of Filipinos.

She cited the first quarter 2014 Social Weather Station (SWS) Report that found that nine out of 10 smokers smoked about 10 cigarettes a day.

And she cited the Philippine Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2009 that found that 28.3 percent of the population aged 15 years and over were smokers.

“With an estimated 10 Filipinos dying every hour due to smoking-related conditions, it is wise never to start the addictive habit of smoking,” she said.