A day after announcing that smoking highly increases the risk of developing lung cancer, Health Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral warned government employees and people transacting with government agencies to strictly adhere to the no-smoking rule in government premises or face disciplinary action as stipulated under the Civil Service Commission’s Memorandum Circular No. 17, series of 2009.

“In places providing services relating to health and youth activity, such as hospitals, health centers, schools, universities and colleges, smoking is absolutely prohibited and ‘smoking areas’ are not allowed,” she said.

The other day, Cabral called a conference and emphasized that one of the ways to avoid lung cancer is to stop smoking.

“Except for places where smoking is absolutely prohibited, smoking is allowed only in designated and marked outdoor smoking areas that are located in an open-space with no permanent or temporary roof or walls and 10 meters away from entrances, exits or any place where people pass or congregate. Smoking Area signages must also be highly visible and prominently displayed," she added.

Cabral warned that complaints filed against anyone who is smoking will be investigated and will be meted with disciplinary action.

Last January 6, the CSC issued the memo announcing a 100 percent smoke-free policy and smoking prohibition in all areas of government premises, buildings and grounds except those areas that have been designated as smoking areas.

“The policy not only encourages people to quit smoking but also seeks to protect people from exposure to second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke, as shown in recent studies, can be harmful to people's health, even small amounts of it. It causes lung cancer, increases the risk of a heart attack, triggers asthma, and causes acute respiratory effects,” the CSC memo said.

The health chief is particularly concerned with the spread of second-hand smoke which increases the risk for heart disease by 50 percent.

Health experts agree that constant exposure to second-hand smoke doubles the risk of heart attack and persons also become 25 percent more susceptible to lung cancer.

“The effects of second-hand smoke on lung function are similar to smoking a few sticks a day. It can cause emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma attacks,” Cabral said.

In the last quarter of 2009, the DoH commissioned a Social Weather Station Survey on Smoking under the Bloomberg Initiative-Philippines OC-400 Project.

The survey found that some 28 percent of Filipinos are current smokers. The percentage of smokers in rural areas is higher at 28 percent while in urban areas it is 27 percent.

The study also revealed that more smokers belong to the Class E at 31 percent followed by Class D at 26 percent and Class ABC with only 21 percent.

Males were also found to smoke more than females at 46 percent versus the 8 percent rate on females.

Most smokers, or 30 percent of the respondents who smoke, belong to the 35 to 44 years old age bracket, followed by the 18 to 24 years old at 26 percent, while 22 percent are aged 55 years and up.

The DoH survey also found that those with a higher educational attainment tend to smoke less than those with no formal education.

By educational attainment, only 20 percent of those who completed college education smoke, while up to 32 percent of those with no formal education smoke.