PINURI ng HealthJustice Philippines, isang public health policy think tank at Bloomberg Awardee para sa Global Tobacco Control, ang pahayag ni presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte na ipatutupad niya ang “no smoking” policy sa buong bansa, kabilang na ang kulob na lugar katulad ng mga bar at restaurant, ayon sa ulat ni Leilani S. Junio ng Philippine News Agency (PNA).

“We are excited about his plan to make the Philippines practically smoke-free. For the longest time, Filipinos have been suffering from the effects of inhaling secondhand smoke everywhere. There is no such thing as a safe level of exposure to it. Some 240 Filipinos die each day from smoking-related diseases,” pahayag ni Atty. Irene Reyes, managing director of HealthJustice Philippines.

“No one should be forced to inhale secondhand smoke. Likewise, no one should be allowed to irresponsibly put another person’s life in peril. We are looking forward to having an ally in President-elect Duterte in this fight for every Filipino’s right to a safe and healthy environment,” dagdag ni Reyes.

Ang “Smoke-free” ay tumutukoy sa kapaligiran na kung saan prinoprotektahan ang mga tao mula sa mga sakit na dulot ng secondhand smoke.

Ayon sa United States Surgeon General, ang pagiging expose sa secondhand smoke ay nagiging dahilan upang tumaas ang tsansa ng mga hindi naninigarilyo na magkaroon ng lung cancer ng hanggang 20-30 porsiyento.

Base sa Republic Act No. 9211 o ang Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, malinaw na ipinagbabawal ang paninigarilyo sa mga pampublikong lugar, kabilang na ang, “centers of youth activity such as schools and public conveyances and public facilities.”

Nang tanungin si Duterte kung bakit niya ipatutupad ang “no smoking” policy sa buong bansa, sinabi ni Duterte na, “Para sa kapakanan ng mga Pilipino. It is to protect public health. If you have to protect the public, you must be brutal about it.”