Nearly 22,000 deaths are reported each year in Sri Lanka due to tobacco and cigarette use, according to the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre.
The Centre noted that 83% of all deaths in the country are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with tobacco use identified as one of the four major risk factors contributing to these fatalities. It further revealed that around 1.5 million adults in Sri Lanka are addicted to smoking.
Chairman of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol, Dr. Ananda Rathnayake, said that one death related to tobacco use is reported every six seconds worldwide.
He made these remarks while speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sajeeva Ranavira, who also addressed the briefing, pointed out that there has been a reduction in taxes imposed on cigarettes since 2021, raising concerns over its potential impact on public health.
