Create tobaccofree areas for brighter life of new generations

January 12,2022

PARENTS of each family in the Myanmar society admonish their offspring to avoid the use of cigarettes as well as cheroots which may trigger abuse of narcotic drugs. The danger of narcotic drugs poses a terrible threat to global society. In Myanmar, a traditional saying goes ‘cigarette starts abuse of narcotic drug’. It is true. The youths, the largest target group of the narcotic drug, started their life as drug addicts using cigarettes and cheroots. 

Global countries are trying hard to minimize the number of drug addicts in various ways and means. As a cigarette is a basic factor to drug addiction, governments of global countries strive for eradicating the narcotic drugs as well as prohibiting the use of cigarettes under the limit. 

The Control of Smoking and Consumption of Tobacco Product Law enacted by Myanmar in 2006 aims to obtain a healthy living style of the public including children and youth by preventing the habit of smoking and consumption of tobacco products. 

Abuse of narcotic drugs brings loss to the respective families. Hence, the governments ban the import of cigarette and narcotic drugs. Truly, the high rate of mortality is based on the use of cigarettes in infection of the COVID-19 pandemic across the world. As the pandemic directly affects the lungs of humans and other organs, those using the cigarette are not able to fight against the pandemic with full strength. 

During the COVID-19 period, the use of cigarettes remarkably declined. As such, authorities and experts consider the best way to permanently decrease the use of cigarettes in society. They found that public health awareness to avoid cigarettes is much appropriate than the issuance of government orders. 

Indeed, it is necessary to levy a higher tax rate on cigarette and tobacco products in Myanmar. To be able to restrict the abuse of tobacco to be used in the production of cigarettes and cheroots, the government needs to raise the health awareness for the people to implement the control of smoking and consumption of tobacco in time. As such, new generation youths will be free from the danger of narcotic drugs. 

Not only parents but local authorities should strive for taking preventive measures of narcotic drugs, including smoking and consumption of tobacco, with farsightedness to nurture the youths with free from drugs in the society.