The Ministry of Health and Welfare's (MOHW) second-generation tobacco-cessation service program has helped more than 160,000 people quit smoking, Premier Jiang Yi-huah stated after the MOHW's briefing on the effort at today's Cabinet meeting.
Besides increasing service accessibility, the second-generation program provides affordable and diverse channels for people to quit smoking, stated the MOHW. From 2012 to 2013, over 630,000 people were served in villages, townships and districts nationwide, and the program's success and overall satisfaction ratings were the highest since government tobacco-cessation services began in 2002.
Thanks to the program, an estimated NT$900 million (US$30.1 million) in medical expenditure will be saved in the short term and a much greater amount in the long term, noted the premier.
Moreover, as a smoker in the program spends an average of just NT$313 (US$10.47) per year on tobacco-cessation drugs, it is cheaper to participate in the program than to consume cigarettes, the MOHW noted.
The MOHW launched the second-generation tobacco-cessation trial program in March 2012 after reviewing the results of its first-generation tobacco-cessation service program and taking inventory of ministry resources and means of services. Due to its success, the MOHW turned the trial program into a major administrative plan this year. Jiang affirmed the MOHW's efforts and encouraged it to keep up the good work.
The premier also pointed out that reducing the adult smoking rate by half is one of the objectives of the Golden Decade National Vision plan. Following the inception of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act in January 2009, the smoking rate of the nation's adults (aged 18 and above) fell from 21.9 percent in 2008 to 18 percent in 2013, with a projected decrease of 540,000 smokers in five years.
However, the nation's male and teenage smoking rates have been declining rather slowly; therefore, tobacco hazards prevention tasks must be strongly enforced, stated the premier. He enjoined related agencies such as the Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Education, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor and Environmental Protection Administration to work together with the MOHW to augment tobacco hazards prevention tasks.
Relevant agencies such as the MOF and the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) have achieved outstanding results in cracking down on illegal tobacco trafficking; nevertheless, smugglers continue to take the risk because of the enormous potential profit involved, the premier pointed out. He directed the MOF and the CGA to coordinate with other agencies to strengthen inspection and crackdowns and to employ administrative and criminal laws to deter any illegalities.