The New Straits Times, September 13, 1999
THE recent riot at the Pusat Serenti in Bukit Mertajam should be viewed seriously, not only because this has happened before, but also because it indicates some fundamental flaws in the system. More importantly, it has brought yet another new dimension as to why such riots occur. And it has something to do with the inmates' demands for tobacco.
This is not surprising. In the absence of other substances of abuse, tobacco seems to be a "good enough" substitute for many of the addicts who are cigarette-smokers in the first place. The situation has brought forward yet again concern about the link between tobacco addiction/dependence and dadah addiction/dependence. The National Poison Centre is of the opinion that tobacco addiction/dependence is just another dadah addiction/dependence and has appealed countless times that it be treated as such.
In one of our columns entitled "Redefining dadah addiction" (NST, March 1), the centre has attempted to explain why this should be so. And more glaringly, why tobacco, a substance well-substantiated to be addictive, has been given such a high profile in the guise of various brand-name advertisements. More recently, a ministerial statement indicating that tobacco cultivation will continue to be protected until 2010 reflects how much privilege the Government is giving to the industry. All these smack of double standards.
It indicates that the strategy to eradicate the drug menace, which is slowly eating away at society, is still viewed in isolation from the problem of tobacco addiction/dependence.
Till today, not a single agency involved in the eradication of the country's number one problem has publicly declared a similar war on tobacco as a "gateway" substance to the larger dadah problem.
It is the centre's opinion that unless this is done, we will continue to see the number of dadah addicts rising among the young.
But perhaps there remains a ray of hope: the suggestion that the Home Ministry work together with the Health Ministry in combating the dadah problem. Tobacco control would be a good place to start. The Health Ministry, a serious proponent of tobacco control, would have a very strong ally - the Home Ministry, with the Deputy Prime Minister at the helm.
Such a collaboration, if joined by unions like Cuepacs (as its president has indicated interest), would give much-needed impetus to the whole effort. The National Poison Centre, on its part, will continue to give whatever support it can to build a new and comprehensive strategy in combating dadah-cum-tobacco abuse.
On another front, perhaps it is also time for Malaysians to follow the lead of people in other Asian countries, such as South Korea. It was reported recently that a South Korean suffering from lung cancer had filed an unprecedented lawsuit to seek compensation from Korea Tobacco and Ginseng Corporation, the nation's leading cigarette maker. The victim alleges that the Government-controlled corporation deliberately sold him addictive drugs with the potential to cause death.
The suit alleges that KTGC was motivated by greed to cover up scientific evidence demonstrating that carcinogens, nicotine and tar in cigarettes can lead to lung cancer. Cigarette packets in South Korea did not carry explicit labels about the dangers of smoking until 1989.
The victim, who smoked two packs a day, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer on Aug 3. The suit seeks 100 million won in compensation and will be followed by a class-action suit against the industry.
We can only hope that wisdom will prevail so that we do not have resort to such tactics to protect our health against dubious substances like tobacco.
