From the Botswana Gazette.
MoH to repeal the Control of Smoking Act 1992 - The Botswana Gazette
September 17, 2010
Tefo Pheage
-They are developing the tobacco products bill
The Ministry of Health together with University of Botswana(UB) Department of Environmental Health and other non-governmental institutions have proposed that the Government should repeal the control of smoking Act of 1992 and develop the Tobacco Products Bill.
Speaking at a workshop for Tobacco Control Awareness held at Cresta President Hotel, Gaesi Mophuting from the Department of Public Health said “The new law is being developed so that it is aligned to the principles of the framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC).”
The FCTC is an international law that is meant to facilitate measures to reduce supply of tobacco products and reduce demand for the products with an objective to protecting Public Health from the harm associated with the use of the products.
The proposed Bill intends to introduce a complete ban of smoking in public places and also completely ban advertising, marketing and promotion of tobacco and related products.
In an interview with the Gazette, Chengetani Kangangwani from the Ministry of Health said the control of smoking Act 1992 has been overtaken by events and does not cover the provisions the Framework of Convention of Tobacco Control, adding that it, as a result has necessitated the need to repeal the Act to align it with the FCTC requirements and expectations.
The proposed Bill also intends to target and counter the complex issues relating to illicit trade, trans-national advertising, marketing and Promotion of the products.
It also proposes the licensing requirements that will enable the government to charge levy to assist in combating problems associated with the use of the Tobacco.
“Currently the government through the tax payer foots the bill to cure, rehabilitate and buy drugs for people who are sick from the use of tobacco. If government does not address tobacco issues, the costs of having to rehabilitate the smokers once tobacco has taken effect will be more costly than prevention,” said Miss Mophuting.
The proposed bill also seeks to address among other issues the labeling and packaging requirements of the products, tobacco contents and disclosure of contents of the products and anti-smuggling measures.
Mophuting said, “The current deceptive, false and misleading labels on the tobacco products will be countered with very strong health messages so that the public will have a right to know about the products that they are using and harms associated with it.”
NGOs complained that one of the problems in Botswana is poor implementation of the law “our laws are not that bad, what is bad is implementation from law enforcers.”
For his part, a member from the special groups asked why tobacco issues aren’t given the same attention awarded to AIDS issues since the health ministry states that the number of deaths resulting from tobacco matches those of the Aids pandemic.
Miss Mophuting, observed that “the same people who are advocating for such issues should also be same people advocating for this issue.” One attendant said “perhaps we should make licenses for tobacco selling and also stop selling cigarettes in singles to stop them from being easily accessible.”
Normally students have only one P1.00 to buy that and they will struggle to buy a packet with their limited cash. Suggestions from the gathering were to be included in the proposal which will be presented at a consultative meeting to be organized on a later date.
This week on the 15th and 16th a training Workshop will be held to train Media and Non Governmental Organization on Reporting on the issues of the Framework Convention and the implementation of the Tobacco Laws.
Source: The Botswana Gazette
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