Health Minister Rajitha Senarathne says that Tobacco Companies can close, if they are incurring losses parallel to the cigarette price and tax increments.
He stated this recently in Gampaha participating at the opening ceremony of the new Osusala branch.
He said, “There were many forces who opposed the 90 per cent tax on tobacco. But I stood by the people. If those companies are incurring losses they can close down and nobody will criticize it.Even the Former President was with the tobacco companies. He opposed when the 80 per cent pictorial warning was implemented. The Supreme Court reduced the pictorial warnings to 60 per cent on that pressure” and added that the government is fully committed to eradicate the drug mafia.
The Chathura Senarathne Foundation donated three Hematology testing machines to the Gampaha Wathupitiwala and Negombo hospitals on this occasion.