Smoking in the Philippines is a huge problem, teens are starting smoking very early and a large percentage of the population is addicted to nicotine.

THE chances are high that Filipino children aged 11 to 16 have already have tried smoking cigarettes. The probability that a child has already lighted his first stick–or worse, is a full-blown smoker–is even greater when members of his family are smoking, too. And then, of course, there is peer pressure.

A Youth Tobacco Survey by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Philippine Chapter among grade school and high school students in Metro Manila has reinforced what many people have been thinking all along about youth and smoking.

The survey of 2,932 respondents with an average age of 13, from twelve elementary and secondary private and public schools in Metro Manila was conducted by the ACCP after a series of “tobacco or health workshops” in these schools from 1998 to 2001.

Source: Cigarette Smoking Amongst Teens is High

The Philippines has concentrated on high cigarette tax to be used to anti-smoking campaigns since 2004.

The proposed foundation in the Philippines would get five percent or about P1 billion in funding annually from tobacco industry taxes.

Navarra also said that anti-tobacco advocates in the House of Representatives were also keen on filing a bill that would impose higher taxes on tobacco companies, which currently remit 25 percent of their revenues in excise tax.

The heavy taxation is projected to raise the prices of cigarettes by five percent every year and discourage buyers, especially the poor, from smoking, Navarra said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

They also have tough anti-smoking regulations (national Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003) around the capital Manila, people feel the suffering even in the commercial areas like Makati City.

Makati City, Philippines - Smokers thought they would no longer enjoy the nightlife in trendy Makati City after the local government enforced the toughest anti-smoking policy in the Philippines three years ago.

With a strict smoking ban, restaurants, bars, discos, cafes, hotels, shopping malls and cinemas in the Manila suburb were forced to shun smoking patrons to avoid being penalized or even shut down by authorities.

Source: M & C News

They have even had anti-smoking stamps!

Source: Trussel

You can find the Philippines Youth Smoking Survey Here.