The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP) is deeply concerned about the series of misinformation that the tobacco industry is spreading through the different news and column spaces in the print media. This was spurred by the administrative order recently issued by the Department of Health (DoH) imposing mandatory printing on cigarette packs of pictures and information depicting the real effects of cigarettes and the removal of all descriptors in cigarette products.

FCAP is a health alliance of medical and health professionals, concerned mothers, environmental advocates, religious and faith-based groups and individuals who aim to liberate the Filipino people from the hazards and ailments caused by cigarettes and other tobacco products.  We believe that the claims and arguments of the tobacco industry have to be answered and clarified. The people deserve to be informed more than what the industry is feeding them.

Some columnists charged the DoH as overzealous to push for more regulation on the allegedly overregulated tobacco industry. What they together with the tobacco industry chose to ignore is the fact that cigarettes and other tobacco products are the only consumer products legally sold in the market that are known to cause sure-death, if not debilitating and pain-causing ailments, when used as directed by the manufacturers. Tobacco products contain poisons and over 60 carcinogens, including carbon monoxide, arsenic, benzene, butane, formaldehyde, lead, toluene, nicotine among others.  Nicotine, a by-product unique only to tobacco, is the substance that eventually leads the smoker to addiction.

If only for these, the Filipino people deserve a health agency that is eager to stamp this deadly addiction from the face of the earth. If only for these, we need a health agency that will rightfully uphold the primacy of public health and reaffirms its primary function to promote, protect, preserve, and restore the health of the people. If only for these, we need DoH officials who will take definitive steps to effectively inform the people and prevent more deaths in the family.

The columnists who criticized the AO, thumbed down the addition of pictures in cigarette packs because they said, it won’t make any difference to smokers. Then why did the industry oppose it and went all the way up to the Regional Trial Court of Marikina, seeking declaratory relief for the AO?

The tobacco industry deliberately missed to inform the media and the public that pictures work too well for the youth who are the primary target of tobacco marketing. The industry will naturally move heaven and earth to refuse the printing of pictures in cigarette packs because this will effectively ruin one of their most vital marketing platforms, the product packages.

People can relate to the picture because there’s a human element in it. Today’s young generation doesn’t like to read books because of the proliferation of visual media. They tend to shy away from anything that will require them to be more analytical and process information.

FCAP conducted a survey about the effectiveness of graphic information in cigarette packs in 2007 with 400 respondents nationwide, including Metro Manila. Graphic warnings were preferred by 64% of the respondents as an effective way to keep people out of smoking. In the age bracket of 15-20 years old, 75% preferred graphic health information than the health warning in text. The survey respondents, aged 15-60 years old were smokers, have an intention to smoke or favor smoking.

The actions of the tobacco industry regarding the DoH’s Administrative order confirm the effectiveness of pictures to control tobacco and cigarette use among the youth. Reaching out to the younger generation was touted by the industry itself as the way to heftier profits. They are called replacement smokers as more adult smokers are dying due to smoking-related diseases.

Some columnists and the tobacco industry said this new requirement will impose additional financial burden on an industry that is, conducting a legitimate business and is employing a lot of Filipinos. Sure, the industry can very well pass on the additional cost brought about by this regulation, to the consumers. Like any legitimate business, as the industry and some columnists pointed out, the economics of added costs lead to higher prices.  Why will the tobacco companies be exempted from this natural course of doing business?

As expected, the tobacco companies cited the poor tobacco farmers and workers dependent on this industry for their families’ livelihood. If the industry is really concerned about the fate of these marginalized sectors in the tobacco industry, here is an unsolicited advice for the tobacco industry. Why don’t they train their legal armory and lobbying machinery on the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the local government officials in the tobacco-producing provinces? They were mandated to provide alternative livelihood to tobacco farmers who will be disadvantaged by the implementation of the Tobacco Regulation Act or RA 9211.

The law was passed in 2003. Seven years later, the industry is conveniently using the same problem to extricate itself from the health agency’s inherent mandate to protect the health of the people.

In the light of this ongoing debate about the Administrative Order on Graphic Health Information, we urge the DoH to stand firm. The tobacco industry has been conspicuously silent on the fact that 8 to 10 Filipinos die every hour due to smoking-related diseases. There is a need to fear the consequences of smoking and of irresponsible behavior. The tobacco industry is not likely to take it upon itself to instill such fear. It is thus, the government’s responsibility to show the public why such fear is warranted.

At this juncture of our nation’s history, the prevailing sentiments run high toward correcting the wrong and greater optimism for the country abound to pave the road toward righteousness. It is thus, just appropriate that we stand united against profit opportunism at the expense of public health.