Pinoy Victims of Tobacco Push for Picture-Based Warning in Cigarette Packs

These tobacco victims cannot nag the legislators enough to hurry up and approve HB 3364, the picture-based tobacco warnings bill.

Speaking during a press conference held Monday by tobacco control group Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance-Philippines (FCAP), Elizabeth Pomer expressed her support for HB 3364 in light of her plight as a tobacco victim who suffered from stroke due to heavy smoking and unhealthy life style.

“Salamat po sa ating mga kongresista na naghain ng Bill na ito. Tinatawagan din po namin ang ating Honorable Speaker Prospero Nograles na gawin itong priority bill,” Elizabeth Pomer said, as she introduced herself as a member of the Stroke Survivors Society, herself being a stroke survivor after a fatal attack in 1999.

Pomer started smoking at the age of 25, when as head of the systems department of a large bank she thought she had to “survive” the corporate culture and blend with those younger than her.

“Nandito po ako ngayon bilang pagpapatunay sa masamang epekto ng paninigarilyo sa kapanahunang ako ay nagtatrabahol bilang head sa systems department ng isang bangko,” Pomer added. “Ako at ang mga miyembro ng Stroke Survivors Society ay nakikiisa sa pagtataguyod ng pagpasa sa House Bill 3364.”

Pomer also said she believed the use of pictures in warning the public about the ill effects of smoking is an effective way to make people understand better, especially the youth that smoking causes many diseases. ‘Let’s open our eyes to the horror and grossness of the effects of smoking,” she added.

For his part, Teodoro Martin, who is suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, spoke of his heavy smoking as it greatly affected his life other than his health.

Martin, who started smoking at the age of 18 at a rate of one to two packs a day and quit only in 2000, said that at age 69 today, he has no retirement fund and pension to speak of. His maintenance medicines, he said, cost quite a sum of money.

According to Martin, his state of finances has been affected by the smoking addiction. Moreover, he said, his relationship with his family suffered while at the same time admitting that he had neglected them in a way. Martin said his predisposition in life was manifested by his inability to work due to his sickness.

“Better stop. Huminto ako ng kusa. I went through it, though, it was very hard,” Martin stressed, adding that non-smokers should do away with it altogether.

Pomer and Martin are only two of the many victims of smoking, according to FCAP, and there are many more witnesses to the diseases brought about by this habit.

“Not to mention that 80,000 of them may die this year,” according to Dr. Maricar Limpin, FCAP executive director, referring to a study’s findings of the death toll every year as a result of diseases brought about by smoking.

“We are glad Pomer and Martin are here to testify about the realities of smoking,” Limpin said, “and bring to light that those pictures on cigarette packs are effective in curbing the epidemic.”