President-apparent Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on Monday defied mounting pressure for him to stop smoking, saying he will continue to indulge in his controversial habit even during the commemoration of World No-Tobacco Day. Speaking to reporters at the Senate, Aquino was asked if he will still light a cigarette despite Monday's observance of the one-day event mandated by the World Health Organization (WHO). “I think so,” he answered with a smile. This developed as the government's leading anti-tobacco expert refuted Aquino's reason for not giving up the harmful habit. Last week, Aquino said he is not yet planning to stop smoking on the ground that this might create unnecessary pressure that will affect his decisions. He said he would stop smoking at the “appropriate” time. “When I ran for the presidency, everyone knew I was a smoker. I will kick the habit at the appropriate time. As long as I follow the controls of the laws and I don't disturb people, then maybe this is a part of what remains of my freedom,” the president-elect said. However, Dr. Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP), said Aquino was wrong to say that trying to quit smoking would add “stress” to his life. He should exercise the willpower to stop, Limpin, a pulmonologist, said. She said if Aquino can't quit smoking, the tobacco companies could put pressure on him to ease government restrictions on smoking. “It is with the tobacco industry that he should be cautious about. This industry is bent on influencing the public sphere to ensure that it will continue to sell cigarettes while the government's health agency deals with the increasing number of deaths due to smoking-related diseases,” Limpin said in an article posted on the website of the Department of Health (DOH). “The tobacco industry does not want to stipulate clearly the fatal impact of tobacco on the consumers, lest they lose the profits they currently enjoy,” she said. She said if Aquino really wants to quit smoking, he should seek professional help, adding that programs on how to stop smoking are available in government and private hospitals. Limpin conceded that quitting smoking is difficult because of the addiction to nicotine. Also on the same DOH website, the WHO reminded Aquino that his deceased parents had symptoms of exposure to cigarette smoke. “From his public statements, it seems that Mr. Aquino is aware that he is not only damaging his own health but is setting a poor example to his fellow-countrymen and fellow-countrywomen,” said WHO Tobacco-Free Initiative Western Pacific regional adviser Susan Mercado. She noted that former Senator Benigno “Ninoy”Aquino Jr. suffered a heart attack while the late President Corazon C. Aquino had colorectal cancer. “Both of these conditions have been linked to cigarette smoke exposure,” she said.
