Ferliza C.
Contratista
Cebu City, May 21 (PIA)—Department of Health (DOH-7) offers
'Smoking Cessation Services' to those who want to quit smoking.
For only P100, a person who wants to quit smoking can avail of
various services that will enable him to finally break free.
Smoking Cessation Coordinator Dr. Christopher Samson said they are
already catering almost a hundred patients each week who undergo treatment and
counseling in breaking the habit.
“Consultation fee for the Smoking Cessation costs P100 but
the counseling, interventions and treatment in helping smokers to quit their
dangerous habit are free of charge,” Samson said.
He said the age range of those addicted to smoking is becoming
lower. “In fact, our youngest patient is five years old,” Samson added.
Smoking becomes a habit when some parents let their young kids buy
cigarettes and let them light it for them, Samson said.
The establishment of the Smoking Cessation Centers is one
government intervention, implemented by the Department of Health (DOH) pursuant
to the Tobacco Regulations Act and DOH Administrative Order No. 122 s.
2003 titled The Smoking Cessation Program to support the National Tobacco
Control and Healthy Lifestyle Program allowed the setting up of the National
Smoking Cessation Program.
Its vision is to reduce the prevalence of smoking and minimizing
smoking-related health risks. DOH also encouraged the usage of graphic
health warnings in cigarette packs.
The Philippine Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2009 (DOH,
Philippines GATS Country Report, March 16, 2010) revealed that 28.3%
or 17.3 million of the population aged 15 years old and over
currently smoke tobacco, 47.7% or 14.6 million are men, while 9.0%
or 2.8 million are women.
Eighty percent of these current smokers are daily smokers with men
and women smoking an average of 11.3 and 7 sticks of cigarettes per day
respectively.
The survey also revealed that among every daily smokers, 21.5%
have quit smoking. Among those who smoked in the last 12 months, 47.8%
made a quit attempt, 12.3% stated they used counseling and or advise as their
cessation method, but only 4.5% successfully quit.
Among current cigarette
smokers, 60.6% stated they are interested in quitting, translating to around 10
million Filipinos needing help to quit smoking as of the moment.
(mbcn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu/with reports from Caren P. Gabisay, CNU Devcom Intern