The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) reports that nearly 50 deaths occur daily in Sri Lanka due to smoking, totaling approximately 20,000 deaths annually.

In a statement, ADIC highlighted the importance of World No Tobacco Day, observed tomorrow, May 31. The theme of World No Tobacco Day 2024 is “Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference.”

The ADIC noted that cigarette consumption among young people in Sri Lanka is rapidly decreasing, with an overall national decline of 9.1%. Tobacco company reports indicate that tobacco production in the country has decreased by around 19%, according to the ADIC.

Despite these positive trends, ADIC states that approximately 1.5 million people in Sri Lanka still smoke tobacco. Additionally, multinational tobacco companies (MNCs) are employing various tactics to attract the younger generation and children to tobacco use, it claims.

Meanwhile, a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that globally an estimated 37 million children aged 13–15 years use tobacco, and in many countries, the rate of e-cigarette use among adolescents exceeds that of adults. In the WHO European Region, 20% of 15-year-olds surveyed reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.

Despite significant progress in reducing tobacco use, the emergence of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco and nicotine products present a grave threat to youth and tobacco control. Studies demonstrate that e-cigarette use increases conventional cigarette use, particularly among non-smoking youth, by nearly three times, the report highlighted.