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Imams Slam Frills That Hook Smokers
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - Whichever way the tobacco products are dressed up, whatever healthy names they make use of, cigarette smoking brings about great danger to health.

This, the Brunei religious leaders said was a fact. Imams yesterday made this observation while commenting that new tobacco products, that do the same damage as they always did are now dressed up to look good and wholesome.

This they slammed was a ploy to hook the younger generation into destroying themselves.

"Don't by duped by new tobacco products promoted in the market, tainted with healthy names and labels," the Imams observed in their Friday sermon.

Attractive packaging, low health risks, flashy advertisements all go hand in hand to give a very misleading appearance to a down right damaging product, they cautioned.

In their efforts to curb cigarette smoking among Bruneians, the religious leaders probed the every nook and cranny of the deceptive ways the harmful product is cloaked to lure the younger generation.

Whatever their methods, the bottom line is that cigarette smoking is still dangerous to health, they cautioned.

The sermon also highlighted on Tobacco Order 2005 - a provision by law to prohibit advertisements relating to smoking, control of the use of tobacco products, control and wipe cigarette smoking for children and teenagers.

The Order also aimed at controlling the sales, promotion, packaging and trade description of tobacco products, and prohibits smoking in public places and vehicles, which if violated, would find them guilty of an offence on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.

The Imams added that His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented the approval of Tobacco Order 2005 which was gazetted in June last year.

Forums and talks in electronic media and articles in the print media are repeatedly disseminated. Population census conducted in Brunei five years ago highlighted that 17.5% o of the population aged 15 and above are smokers and there are more than 40,000 smokers in the country with the largest group of smokers are aged 20-34. Approximately 50% of all male smokers and 30% of all female smokers are within the age group of 20-34.

Imams also highlighted the introduction of clinics to stop smoking has been established and stressed on the effects of smoking which could cause breathing difficulty, asthma, heart diseases, cancer.

'4-et us jointly shoulder the responsibility to wipe and reduce this health-threatening habit for one's good, society and the nation. The government allocates huge sum of money on medical expenses to treat patients suffering as a result of smoking."

Meanwhile Tobacco Order 2005 also touches on the provisions for the control of smoking by minors whereby retailers can't sell/give, furnish any tobacco products to a person below the age of 18 years.

Retailers also need to display suitable and sufficient numbers of notices in their premises stating to the effect that the law prohibits the sale of any tobacco products to minors.

The Tobacco Order also highlighted that a fine of $500 awaits minors if they smoke or chew any tobacco products in public places or buy or have in their possession, whether for their own use or not. If they are caught again committing the same offence they will be fined not exceeding $1,000. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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