Browsing by Author "Dineshkumar, P."

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Implementation of pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs in Sri Lanka and the tobacco industry interferences
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2019) Wijesuriya, H.; Perera, K.M.N.; Perera, C.S.; Dineshkumar, P.; Lakmal, S.C.; Fenando, A.I.B.; Kandeepan, S.; Rajasuriya, M.
INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC), legally challenged the government's initiative on 80% of the pictorial health warnings (PHW) on cigarette packs. After several rounds of Appeal and Supreme Court hearings, the judgement was given to implement PHWs, but reducing its size to 60%. However, as the then Minister of Health was later elected the President the 80% PHWs got implemented through a parliamentary decision. Our study aims to describe the tobacco industry interference during this process. METHODS: Investigative research techniques were used. Media reports, court reports, web content and research articles collected through snow-ball sampling were reviewed using content analysis. RESULTS: Strategies recognised were: alleged bribery by CTC; alleged interference in the legal and policy process through high-ranking politicians including the Head of State; influencing stakeholders and public via industry favourable academic publications and media reports; and influencing business community via industry favourable discussion forums. Main arguments used were: Minister of Health not possessing the legal power to enforce such a law; PHWs violating the company's intellectual property rights related to trade names and branding; unproven effectiveness of PHWs; and inadequate time availability for implementation. The only front group visible was the media, which repeatedly published arguments against PHWs favouring tobacco industry. The industry ultimately managed to delay the PHW implementation by 23 months and to reduce its extent to 60%. They managed to delay the original 80%-PHW implementation by 29 months. CONCLUSION: The tobacco industry interference misled the policy makers and the public, delaying implementation of PHWs for more than two years.
Tobacco industry promoting its image makes use of religious practices in Sri Lanka
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2019) Perera, N.C.S.; Lakmal, P.A.S.C.; Wijesuriya, H.; Fernando, A.I.B.; Dineshkumar, P.; Kandeepan, S.; Perera, K.M.N.; Rajasuriya, M.
INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Seventy percent of Sri Lankans follow Buddhism, a philosophy that dissuades its followers from the use of psychoactive substances. The national tobacco control laws prohibit sponsorships promoting products and direct and indirect image promotion of tobacco products and its manufacturers. Recently, media reported of Buddhist religious practices that were supported by Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC), British American Tobacco subsidiary holding monopoly in manufacturing and selling cigarettes in Sri Lanka. We aimed to explore CTC's engagement in religious activities and their potential impact. METHODS: This study is based on Tobacco Unmasked posts developed using investigative research techniques (keys 4 informant interviews and content analysis of photographs, media reports, websites and industry reports). Thematic analysis was used to explore the type of activity, CTC investment, potential impact and intensity of media coverage. RESULTS: Gangarama Wesak celebration zone, the main Wesak festival zone in Colombo, was sponsored by CTC proxies for three years. CTC sponsored construction of two pilgrims-rests in two popular pilgrimage sites, each ceremoniously declared open by the President and the Secretary of Defence. The direct interference in policymaking was noticeable in the "Bodhi-Pooja" which is said to be organized to empower the tobacco-farmers against the government's plan to eliminate tobacco cultivation by 2020. All these activities received wide positive media coverage. At community level, CTC financially supported numerous religious activities and infrastructure development of temples and worship sites situated in tobacco cultivation areas. CONCLUSION: Tobacco industry successfully uses religious practices to promote its image among the public and the policy makers at national and grass-root levels.
Two-a-pack cigarette packet in Sri Lanka: an affordability experiment by the tobacco industry?
(BMJ, 2019) Wijesuriya, H.; Perera, M.N.; de Silva, G.; Vithanage, P.R.; Dineshkumar, P.; Lakmal, S.; Fernando, I. B.; Rajasuriya, M.; Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) Sri Lanka
Abstract not available
Use of a mobile application to engage communities in monitoring tobacco industry interference: A case study of community driven tobacco surveillance system
(Sri Lanka Medical Association., 2019) Perera, N. C. S.; Lakrnal, P. A. S. C.; Wijesuriya, H.; Kandeepan, S.; Fernando, A. I. B.; Dineshkumar, P.; Perera, K. M. N.
INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Centre for Combating Tobacco (CCT) is the tobacco observatory in Sri Lanka established under the WHO FCTC article 5.3. Resource-efficient methods to engage public in monitoring tobacco industry interference and activities (TIIA) in low-resource settings are needed. METHODS: "TobaccoUnmasked HotSpots"(TU-HotSpots) mobile application was developed and launched in two stages. The preliminary launch, in May 2018, was to pilot the app for feasibility and acceptability. In March 2019, Community Driven Tobacco Surveillance System (CDTSS), a community network to monitor TIIA using the now-upgraded, app following the piloting, was launched. Freely downloadable from any mobile app store, TU-HotSpots enables registered users to report TIIA under three categories:"Report-a-HotSpot" (geographical location circa FCTC articles 5.3, 6, 12, 13, 15, 16), "Interference-through-Media" (Article 13) and "Tobacco-Industry-contacted-me" (Article 5.3). Data thus reported is approved following review by the CCT team, and published via the TU-HotSpots Map, a website with an interactive map and a dashboard. RESULTS: In the Post-launch evaluation, 91.4% (n=54) stated that TU-HotSpots would be useful in tobacco control, while 82.8% (n=48) stated the public would accept it. Inadequate technological knowledge and sub optimal on line connectivity were the perceived challenges for implementation. Active promotion via training sessions for youth and government field officers were the main suggestions for way forward. As at April 2019, 178 registrants reported 416 incidents; with 165 approved-Report-a-HotSpot and 92 approved-Interference-through-Media reports, and one approved-Tobacco-Industry-contacted-me report. CONCLUSION: A mobile application coupled with a community network constitutes an effective strategy to engage public in monitoring TIIA.