• Says overseas promotions harder to monitor

The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) is seeking the assistance of Meta to address tobacco promotions originating from outside Sri Lanka, it is learnt. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning, NATA Chairman Dr Ananda Rathnayake said the authority was able to monitor tobacco promotions originating within Sri Lanka through social media platforms, but faced difficulties when such promotions came from overseas. “We can monitor the promotions that happen from here via social media. But when the promotions happen from abroad, we find it a little difficult to monitor. We are planning to discuss with Meta as well to see what we can do,” he said.

Asked whether existing laws allowed action to be taken against tobacco promotions carried out through social media, he said the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act contained provisions that allowed such action.

He further said tobacco and alcohol use continued to have a significant impact on public health, estimating that around 60 people die each day in Sri Lanka due to the use of tobacco and alcohol. "Smoking also plays a significant role in the progression towards addiction to other substances. Around 90 per cent of people who become addicted to cannabis, heroin and other hard drugs begin that path through smoking."

Dr Rathnayake added that the NATA is continuing to consider several measures as part of its longer-term objective of creating a tobacco-free generation. These include a possible ban on the sale of cigarettes individually, the introduction of plain packaging for cigarette packets and a review of the minimum legal age for the purchase and sale of cigarettes.