Non-Smoking Sri Lanka in Future? Youth Turn Away from Cigarettes

Sri Lanka may be on its way to becoming a “no-smokers’ zone”, as the country’s younger generation increasingly rejects smoking, according to the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC).

ADIC Executive Director Sampath De Saram told Daily Mirror that the country currently has around 1.5 million smokers, most of them aged 40 and above. “This is entirely because, during their day and age, smoking was a trending habit,” he said.

By contrast, young Sri Lankans aged 15–25 — the age group when smoking habits usually begin — are showing less interest in cigarettes. Instead, they are embracing healthier lifestyles such as gym workouts, fitness routines, and conscious eating habits.

“They have realised smoking directly destroys all these healthy habits,” De Saram explained.

📉 Smoking in Decline

Tobacco sales dropped 65% in the past 15 years.

20,000 deaths annually in Sri Lanka are linked to smoking.

Sri Lankans spend Rs. 520 million daily on cigarettes, despite a 75% tax rate, one of the highest in the world.

Globally, smoking is on a declining trend, with Sri Lanka following suit.

🚭 A Changing Culture

Tighter regulations on public smoking, coupled with greater awareness of health risks, are encouraging even traditional smokers to quit. Smoking, once seen as fashionable, is rapidly losing its appeal.

Meanwhile, the Tobacco Atlas reports Sri Lanka produced 6,612 tons of tobacco in 2022, grown on 982 hectares of agricultural land — land that could otherwise be used for food cultivation.

ADIC also warns that alcohol and tobacco use contributes significantly to the 80% rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Sri Lanka.

With attitudes shifting and youth leading the way, the vision of a smoke-free Sri Lanka may not be far away.