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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
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(1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs)
Tobacco Use Among 13–15 Year Olds in Sri Lanka, 1999–2007
May 23, 2008 / Vol. 57 / No. 20
MMWR Highlights
Cigarette Smoking
- Lifetime cigarette use among students in Sri Lanka significantly declined
between 1999 (12.1%) and 2003 (6.3%); the decrease continued to 2007 (5.1%), but not significantly.
- Boys were significantly more likely than girls to have ever smoked cigarettes in
1999 and 2003, but there was no significant difference in 2007.
- For boys, current cigarette smoking decreased significantly between 1999 (6.2%)
and 2007 (1.6%), while for girls the rate remained unchanged.
- Boys were significantly more likely than girls to be current smokers in 1999, but
in 2003 and 2007, there was no gender difference.
- The percent of students who reported that their parents smoke significantly
decreased between 1999 (50.8%) and 2007 (29.9%).
Other Tobacco Products
- Current use of other tobacco products remained unchanged between 1999 and 2007,
both overall and within gender.
- Boys were significantly more likely than girls to use other tobacco products in
1999; but there was no gender difference in 2003 and 2007.
- Current use of other tobacco products was significantly higher than cigarette
smoking overall in 1999, 2003, and 2007.
- For boys in 2003 and 2007.
- For girls in 1999 and 2003.
Tobacco Advertising & Promotion
- Both direct and indirect advertising and promotion decreased significantly
between 1999 and 2007.
- The percentage of students who saw pro-tobacco advertisements on
billboards did not change significantly between 1999 and 2003, but significantly
decreased between 2003 and 2007 (79.3% in 2003 to 67.4% in 2007).
- The percentage of students who saw pro-tobacco advertisements in
newspapers and magazines significantly declined between 1999 and 2007 (83.4% in 1999;
78.4% in 2003; 68.4% in 2007).
- The percentage of students who owned an item with a tobacco logo on it
did not change between 1999 and 2003, but significantly decreased between 2003 and 2007.
- The percentage of students who reported receiving free cigarettes from
a tobacco company representative decreased significantly from 1999 (6.4%) to 2007 (3.0%).
Other Highlights
- Exposure to secondhand smoke in public places remained unchanged over time
(67.9% in 1999 and 65.9% in 2007).
- Sri Lanka's ban on secondhand smoke exposure does not include exposure
in restaurants, pubs or bars, and these exclusions may explain the lack of change in exposure.
- A number of studies have shown that secondhand smoke laws are most effective
when a complete ban on smoking in indoor workplaces is enacted and strongly enforced.
- The 2006 report of the U.S. Surgeon General states "that only comprehensive
smoke-free workplace laws can protect all workers and the public from the dangers of secondhand
smoke."
- Support for a ban on smoking in public places did not change significantly between
1999 (91.4%) and 2007 (87.9%).
- In 2007, 76.5% of current smokers indicated they would like to stop smoking and
the rate did not change significantly between 1999 and 2007.
- The percent of students who reported having been taught in school during the past
school year about the harmful effects of tobacco significantly increased between 1999 (62.7%) and
2003 (79.8%) but remained unchanged between 2003 and 2007 (72.8%).
Background
- A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report shows that the government of Sri
Lanka has taken strong measures in tobacco control.
- Sri Lanka ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke is banned in health care, education, and government
facilities, as well as in universities, indoor offices, and other indoor workplaces.
- Laws have been enacted to prohibit pro-tobacco advertisements on national television
and radio, in local magazines and newspapers, on billboards, at points of sale, and on the Internet.
- This includes a ban on tobacco promotional items, such as free distribution,
promotional discounts, and sponsored events.
- The bans on exposure to secondhand smoke, advertising, and promotion are part
of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act (NATAA) enacted by Sri Lanka in 2006.
- NATAA's ban does not include international television and radio or international
newspapers and magazines.
- Tobacco use is one of the major preventable causes of premature death and disease
in the world.
- WHO attributes more than 5 million deaths a year to tobacco use, and this total
is expected to exceed 8 million a year by 2030.
- A disproportionate share of the global tobacco burden falls on developing
countries where 84% of the 1.3 billion current smokers live.
- The Global Youth Tobacco Survey, part of the Global Tobacco Surveillance System
initiated by WHO, CDC, and the Canadian Public Health Association is a school-based survey developed
to monitor youth tobacco use, attitudes, and exposure to tobacco smoke and has been completed by more
than 2 million students in 151 countries.
Page last modified 05/22/2008