TABUK CITY, Kalinga – During a dissemination forum on the Kalinga Adult Tobacco Survey held today at Grand Zion Garden Resort Hotel, a study conducted by the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) says prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults is higher in Kalinga at 22.5% as compared to the national prevalence of 19%.
The GTTS was conducted in 2023 by the Provincial Health Office (PHO)-Kalinga, Saint Louis University-School of Medicine, and Transcend, where 423 respondents aged 15 years old and older completed the survey.
Based on the result of the survey presented by Dr. Nelson Hora, Medical Officer of the Baguio City Health Services Office, 35.1% of males and 7.7% of females currently smoke cigarettes, while 17.3% are males and 7.7% are females who tried smoking at the age of 14-15 years old.
For vape or e-cigarette smoke, 7.5% are males and 3.1% are females currently vape.
For betel quid or momma use, 50.9% are males and 8.2% are females; and of the betel quid users, 93.9% started chewing momma when they were seven to 15 years old. This makes prevalence of momma use among adults high at 31%.
The study also says that exposure to secondhand smoke is very high at home at 100%, work at 50%, and public places at 11-40%.
The general objective of the study, according to Hora is to determine the prevalence of tobacco, vape and momma use among 15 years old and above in the different municipalities in Kalinga. It aims to describe the characteristics of smokers and to determine the association of tobacco use as to access or availability, exposure to secondhand smoke, exposure to anti-tobacco media messages and advertising, knowledge and attitude about tobacco use, and smoking cessation.
Recognizing the urgency to denormalize the culture of smoking and tobacco consumption through comprehensive and proven effective tobacco control measures, the Office of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed Provincial Ordinance No.2024-011 regulating the use, sale, distribution, advertisement of cigarettes and other tobacco products, authored by Hon. Danzel Michael Langkit, chairman, Committee on Health and Sanitation.
Dr. Edward Tandingan, Kalinga Provincial Health Officer encouraged the public to adopt positive health behavior and practices, one of which is not using tobacco.
The dissemination forum, hosted by the Philippine Information Agency-Kalinga, was attended by representatives from the PHO, Department of Health-Kalinga, Schools Division Office of Tabuk City, local media partners, and Cecille Agpawa, project manager of Transcend highlighting the topic on advancing the smoke-free program. By Darwin S. Serion
