CEBU, Philippines – The youth representative at the Cebu City Council is questioning why the authorities are not strictly implementing the law that bans the sale of tobacco products to minors and other related laws.
“Despite the strict mandates of the law, there are still many business establishments that are indiscriminately selling tobacco products to minors,” said Councilor Rengelle Pelayo, president of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation in Cebu City.
Aside from the Republic Act 9211, which regulates the manufacture and sale of tobacco products and for other purposes, the city has also an existing City Ordinance 1939 that bans the selling of cigarettes to the minors.
Such ordinance declares that it shall be unlawful for any retailer, vendor and any other person or business entities within the territorial jurisdiction of Cebu City to allow the sale of tobacco products to minors below 18 years.
A city councilor was heard saying that if the law will be strictly implemented, almost all of the store owners will be penalized with a fine ranging from P1,000 to P5,000 or imprisonment up to one year.
It was observed that not all of the children who buy cigarettes in the stores are the ones smoking them, but their fathers or brothers.
Pelayo said the law should be strictly implemented because there are studies that show smoking tobacco can cause illnesses and even death.
The government had created an inter-agency committee tasked to strictly implement the law, particularly the provisions of Republic Act 9211.
The Inter-agency Committee on the Tobacco Regulation Law is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, while the Secretary of the Department of Health sits as vice chairperson.
A study showed that 20 percent of the household income of smoker’s family is drained because of tobacco use, while around 20,000 people die of smoking-related illnesses every year. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)