MANILA, Philippines?Tobacco control advocates have asked the Manila government to ban ambulant vendors selling cigarettes in the city.

Members of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP) hailed Mayor Alfredo Lim's directive to rid the city streets of sidewalk vendors, but they urged him to take his move further by banning and arresting ambulant cigarette vendors.

But the group likewise called on the mayor to give assistance to the displaced vendors to find alternative means of livelihood.

"Sidewalk and ambulant vendors are the most accessible sources of cigarettes. Because they sell by the stick, it makes cigarette products very affordable even to the youths," said FCAP executive director Dr. Maricar Limpin.

Limpin cited the 2007 Global Youth Tobacco Survey which states that one in five Filipino youths between the ages 12 and 18 are smokers or have tried smoking.

At least 55.9 percent of the respondents said they bought cigarettes from sidewalk vendors or from variety stores, while 63.9 percent said they were not refused sale despite their age, the survey showed.

"Data show that sidewalk vendors make it easy for the youths to take on the smoking habit. If these sidewalk vendors are given alternative livelihood, we can foresee a significant decrease in the incidence of smoking as inaccessibility to cigarettes has been proven an effective way to cut down on the habit," Limpin pointed out.

Likewise, Limpin appealed to Lim to implement the ban on cigarette selling in stores within 100 meters of schools and other places of youth-oriented activities like parks and playgrounds, to discourage students from smoking, as stipulated in Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act.