Solon wants monthly ban on cigarette use, sale

Cebu City second district Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa on Thursday filed a “Cigarettes Holiday Bill,” where a nationwide ban on cigarette use and sale would be imposed every 15^th of the month.

Abellanosa’s House Bill No. 401 is entitled “An act declaring the 15^th day of every month as cigarette holiday, prohibiting the use and sale of cigarettes during its observation and providing penalties therefor.”

To be known as the “Cigarette Holidays Act,” Abellanosa said in a statement that “the legislation is not a rehash or a refile of any previous bill, and it reinforces one of the thrusts of the administration of newly-sworn in President Rodrigo Duterte, which is to curb cigarette smoking.”

The bill proposes a P5,000 fine for the first offense; P25,000 for the second offense; and imprisonment for a period of one to 30 days and a P50,000 fine for succeeding offenses, for those who will be caught smoking cigarettes every 15^th day of the month.

Those who will be caught selling cigarettes would be fined P10,000 for the first offense; imprisoned for one to 30 days and fined P50,000 for the second offense; and imprisoned for one month to six months and fined P100,000 for succeeding offenses.

In explaining his bill, Abellanosa said almost 200 Filipinos die every day due to tobacco-caused diseases, or roughly 71,850 a year.

He said over 500,000 Filipino children and nearly 15.6 million adults continue to use tobacco habitually despite the dangers posed by cigarette smoking.