President Maithripala Sirisena and Minister Of Health,Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr.Rajitha Senaratne are due to jointly submit a Cabinet Memorandum regarding increasing of taxes imposed on Cigarettes from 72% to 90% to the Cabinet next week according to Health Minister Dr.Senaratne.This move will be taken in view of further reducing the smoking rate in the country to prevent spreading of non communicable diseases like Heart Disease,Cancers and Strokes which all caused due to smoking the Minister has stressed.
The government is also planning to introduce a plain white Cigarette Pack like in Australia and to stop cultivation of Tobacco in the country by the year 2020 to further reduce the smoking rate in the country he has stated.
The measures will also be taken to minimize the use of liquor and narcotics in the society in view of reducing the spreading of non communicable diseases Health Minister has said during a ceremony held to hand over the appointment letters to 1034 Post Intern Doctors at BMICH in Colombo yesterday(26).
The government has spend around Rs.200 billion annually to treat patients suffering from non communicable diseases which mainly caused due to the Smoking and Liquor Use the Health Ministry has revealed.
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