• Targetted interventions will be more fruitful, cost-effective and sustainable.
Sri Lanka has made important strides in reducing the overall smoking prevalence rate over time. However, if smoking prevalence is to decrease further, targetted measures are needed to reduce the prevalence rate among the ‘Last Mile Smokers’, according to the latest IPS Publication “Tobacco Smoking Cessation: Lessons and Policy Options for Sri Lanka”.
The Last Mile Smokers refers to the groups in which the smoking prevalence rates are higher than the overall smoking prevalence rate in the country. Last Mile Smokers are, in general, less responsive to system-wide measures such as smoking and advertising bans as well as health awareness campaigns. Penetrating these hard-to-reach groups is important and should be considered as a priority area to slash smoking prevalence in Sri Lanka.
Emirates has welcomed MSN A6-EVL, its 116th A380 as the first of three A380s to join its fleet in 2020. The aircraft arrived in Dubai in the early hours of Saturday morning, powered by a blend of conventional jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel.
Emirates is scheduled to receive two more A380 aircraft later this month, one of which will feature its long-awaited signature Premium Economy product.
Since its entry into the Emirates fleet 12 years ago, the A380 has been the airline’s flagship and a customer favourite, captivating the imagination of travellers by providing an unmatched travel experience. Signature elements such as A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, continue to be talked about around the world.
• Advocates continued price increases through taxation as a key policy intervention
• Calls for a ban on sale of single-stick cigarettes to reduce smoking prevalence rate
Tobacco smoking is a dangerous epidemic claiming eight million lives globally1 and is currently the world’s single most significant cause of preventable death. In Sri Lanka, more than 20,000 people are killed every year as a result of tobacco-related diseases. Despite tobacco smoking rates declining over the years, it was still 28.4% among males above 15 years in 2018, indicating that more than one in four males still smoke.
Secondary data analysis shows that smoking prevalence is higher among certain groups. IPS’ latest publication ‘Tobacco Smoking in Sri Lanka: Identifying and Understanding the Last Mile Smokers’ focuses on these groups – referred to as ‘Last Mile Smokers’ (LMS) in the report. The report is based on a study that identifies LMS, examines reasons behind their smoking initiation
“I stopped smoking after being diagnosed with cancer. I was shocked when I heard about it. Doctors say it is because of tobacco smoking. I know it is late now to quit but I decided to do so because I do not want my condition to worsen. It is heart-breaking to go to the cancer hospital in Maharagama and see what people are going through.”
These are the words of a 58-year-old farmer from Kilinochchi, who started smoking in his youth while participating in a recent study conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
It is a sobering reminder that while Sri Lanka has made notable strides in reducing the overall smoking rate from 38.1 percent to 28.4 percent between 2009 and 2018, smoking remains a significant health threat. The challenge for Sri Lanka now is to identify the groups where smoking prevalence is highly concentrated – what we term the ‘Last Mile Smokers’ (LMS) – and implement policy measures that are specifically designed to reduce smoking among LMS.