A cigarette made using cinnamon was launched on the 17th under the patronage of Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa. There he spoke at a press conference about the specialty of the cigarette and showed that he smoked. Promoting Sri Lankan-made Ayurvedic products, he introduced “cinnamon cigarettes” which can be used as a substitute for foreign nicotine-containing cigarettes.
Under Sri Lankan law, no individual or entity has the authority to promote tobacco and alcohol. This is a violation of the Tobacco and Alcohol Act issued by the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol.
As a responsible government minister, he was widely criticized for acting in such a manner.
Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association (ACMOA) said in a statement that it condemned the government’s media propaganda that made people addicted to tobacco.
The announcement further stated that the target of these tobacco manufacturers is to open about 100 manufacturing factories across the country. A statement issued by the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol while attempting to issue licenses for the importation of Chinese cigarettes also pointed out that the familiarization of the Sri Lankan people with tobacco and tobacco products was a serious problem.
The All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association (ACMOA) has emphasized that this is a state-sponsored stimulus for school children to try out new cigarettes and then move on to nicotine-containing cigarettes as there is a tendency for the use of cigarettes by the youth of today. Promoting through that children will be exposed first to it and then to foreign cigarettes.
He said a large portion of the country’s total health expenditure was allocated to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, many of which were due to active and passive smoking, and that the government had to spend huge sums to provide health care for the sick and to prevent the spread of the corona epidemic. The announcement also said that mitigation was essential.
Therefore, he condemned the government’s interference in the propaganda of this baseless cigarette and stressed that the government should pay special attention to this and take steps to prevent such false and baseless propaganda in the future and to take legal action against that Minister.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association has also sent a letter to Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi informing him of the possible effects of this cinnamon cigarette.