A concept paper proposing the creation of a “tobacco-free generation” comprising all children born after 2010 has been formally submitted to the Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.
The proposal, developed by the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA), outlines a scientifically grounded programme aimed at eliminating future generation’s exposure to tobacco products.
The document was handed over to the minister by NATA Chairman Dr. Ananda Ratnayake, along with Dr. L.L. Amila Isuru, Professor in Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, at the Ministry of Health and Mass Media.
Alongside the concept paper, a set of recommendations to amend and update the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act was also presented.
Health sector stakeholders, including the NATA, Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), professional medical bodies, as well as non-governmental organizations, have indicated two key interventions to mitigate the social and health burden caused by tobacco and alcohol use.
These include legislative reforms to strengthen existing regulations of the NATA Act and the introduction of measures to prohibit access to tobacco products for individuals born after a specified year, in line with the “tobacco-free generation” concept already adopted by several countries.
Minister Jayatissa expressed his appreciation for the initiative to eliminate access to and prohibit tobacco products, noting that tobacco and alcohol pose significant obstacles to children progressing towards a healthier future.
Highlighting the urgency of the initiative, Dr. Ratnayake noted that nearly 80% of deaths in Sri Lanka are attributed to non-communicable diseases, with tobacco and alcohol identified as major contributing factors.
Globally, tobacco use accounts for approximately 80 million deaths annually, of which nearly 70 million die due to direct consumption of tobacco products and about 10% die due to passive smoking.
He further pointed out that Sri Lanka continues to face significant health, economic, and social challenges linked to tobacco and alcohol consumption, with an estimated 22,000 deaths reported annually due to these substances.
He also described tobacco and alcohol as gateway substances that contribute to the use of other drugs.
Meanwhile, Dr. Amila Isuru emphasized that tobacco and cigarette use remain a critical public health concern, particularly among younger populations.
He noted that smoking has been identified as a major barrier to children progressing towards a healthier future, adding that cigarette use among schoolchildren has shown a concerning increase.
He further pointed out that a significant portion of the country’s healthcare expenditure is directed towards treating smoking-related illnesses, while globally only, around 1% of smokers seek medical treatment.
In this context, he emphasized that the most effective approach to mitigating the harmful societal impact of smoking is to curb the spread of cigarettes and reduce the number of smokers.
He added that a scientifically proven strategy adopted worldwide is to restrict access to tobacco products for future generations, thereby preventing children from initiating smoking.
