Philippines fear they will be targeted by
US tobacco industry

The damaging lawsuits in the USA in the past few months may lead
American tobacco firms to target the huge market of the Philippines where
antismoking legislation is nonexistent, health workers have warned.

A government study has been released, which shows that,
of a countrywide sample of 9000 people, 73% of adults and 56% of
children between the ages of 7 and 17 smoke regularly. This figure is up
from 46% of adults and 22% of children in 1987, and lung cancer is now
the leading cause of death of Philipino men.

Ruth Gamaro,of the Department of Health said that the
results of the WHOfunded study highlighted the failure of
politicians to regulate advertising. She also blamed extensive
promotion, the low cost of cigarettes, and the lack of legislation
preventing children from buying or smoking cigarettes.

Rosmarie Erben, WHO, said that the entire Western Pacific
region was experiencing the world's greatest increases in
smoking. She said: "The big US tobacco companies are
already
here in Asia, and I think they will be placing even more
emphasis on their operations here as the position in
the States
becomes more difficult. They have enough money behind them
to put pressure on the government not to hamper their
activities. Because of this, antismoking
legislationwhenever it
has been suggestedsimply collapses."

Adam Easton, Claire Wallerstein