Mamadou of ATCA provided this information (read below). Most of the sources available on line are in French. Philip Morris lowered its prices to counter the competition from low cost brands. The government has remained silent (for now) while the President Wade was reported as requesting proof that tobacco was a public health hazard in Senegal before approving any tobacco control measure. The Senegalese advocates ask the international community to protest.
Here is a link to file a message for the Senegalese Government. Do not forget to confirm you message to make sure it is sent. If you want a sample in French I have copied the protest I sent at the bottom of this post (and here on another post).
Here is a link to file a protest with the Senegalese Health Department. Strangely their news feed for today reports about the protest from the Senegalese League Against Tobacco (LISTAB). I would suggest you send a copy of your protest to Mamadou Bamba Sagna: sagna at atca-africa.org
TOBACCO PRICES DECLINE IN SENEGAL
The measure became effective Tuesday, November 15th: the price of some brands of cigarettes has declined. This decrease was decided unilaterally by the firm Philip Morris International that operates in Senegal since 2007. The pack of 20 cigarettes of the Marlboro brand is now moving from 650 to 400F. However, it is clear that there is a certain silence against this measure from the Senegalese government and specifically the Ministry of Health and Prevention.
Only tobacco advocates within LISTAB (Senegalese League Againts Tobacco) were outraged about this measure dnd held a press conference yesterday to denounce this fact.
The LISTAB declined its national and international action plan to protest about this decline
A press briefing held yesterday (November 28) at 10 am in the presence of students, parents, doctors' unions, teacher, syndicate to take the country to witness
A letter of protest addressed to Parliament
A letter of protest addressed to the President of the Republic
A hearing with these two authorities
A letter of protest addressed to the religious leaders
A sit in in front of Philip Morris office in Dakar
Require all funders of health porhjects to send a letter of protest to the Government of Senegal by threatening to suspend aid to Senegal.
Senegalese justice court will be soon seized for violation of competition rules on the part of Philip Morris
The aim throughout this decline is to recapture the market lost by Phillip Morris in favor of a tobacco brand low-cost range that sells the stick for 15f CFA. This would also push many young people or children to smoke Marlboro cigarettes. Note that in Senegal there is no law prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to minors. Smoking prevalence is estimated at 32% in adults and 20% among young people.
Message of protest to the Senegalese Government:
Apprenant la baisse du prix des cigarettes Philip Morris au Sénégal, je tiens à vous faire part de ma protestation alors que l'on sait l'importance d'un prix le plus élevé possible pour dissuader les jeunes de commencer à fumer et inciter les fumeurs à arrêter. J'espère que le Gouvernement du Sénégal prendra les mesures nécessaires pour remédier à cette situation choquante, notamment en relevant les taxes sur les produtis du tabac et en passant le projet de nouvelle loi de contrôle du tabagisme conformément aux engagements exprimés dans la Convention internationale de lutte contre le tabac que le Sénégal a ratifiée.
Philippe Boucher
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