According To The WHO Survey Report 17.9% Addicted To Alcohol And 15% To Smoking In Sri Lanka

According to a latest survey conducted by the World Health Organization(WHO) 17.9% of the Sri Lankan population belonging to the  age group 18-69 years is addicted to Alcohol and 15% addicted to smoking.

Speaking at the ceremony held yesterday (29) morning at Hotel Kingsbury in Colombo to launch the WHO Report on Non Communicable Diseases in Sri Lanka ,the Deputy Director General Of Health Services attached to the Health,Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr.Lakshmi Somathunge has stated that the majority of the Alcohol Addicted persons among the above mentioned age group is men and accordingly 34.8 % of men addicted to Alcohol.Regarding women 0.5% addicted to Alcohol she has stressed.

Smoking is on the decrease in Sri Lankan society as a result of the tough measures taken against tobacco industry here including increasing the tax percentage on Cigarettes Dr.Somathunge has revealed.29.4% of males and 0.1% of females belonging to 18-69 age group addicted to smoking she has further added.