28 Oct 2015

In an effort to intensify tobacco legislation in the country, the Anti-Tobacco Network (ATN) is embarking on a journey to advocate for the strict regulation of tobacco use.

Speaking during a media breakfast meeting, on fast tracking the development of comprehensive tobacco legislation held in Gaborone, executive director for ATN Dr Bontle Mbongwe said currently the government has a legislation which partially bans smoking in public places.

She noted that the current law requires that smoking areas should be enclosed, which she stressed it only meets the needs of smokers.

Dr Mbongwe said the Framework Conversion on Tobacco Control (FCTC) have clearly stated that this law does not work as it does not protect everyone.

“The current law does not protect everyone because there are employees who work in smoking areas and those employees are not protected,” she said. 

She further said they are advocating that the government of Botswana must license tobacco products, adding that street vendors should not be allowed to sell tobacco products because the product has to be used with caution.

She added that tobacco products can have negative impacts which may end up  with devastating impacts if not controlled.

Dr Mbongwe said there is no threshold for safety in cigarette as it is proven to be unsafe. 

She therefore stressed that if there is nothing safe about cigarette, it should not be sold in the streets.

She also advocates for total ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

For his part ATN board vice chairperson Reverend Simon Mulosu said tobacco kills more than 5 million people per year, adding that it is responsible for 1 in 10 adult deaths.

He noted that 11 per cent of deaths from ischaemic heart diseases, the world’s leading killer are attributable to tobacco use.

Rev Mulosu further noted that more than 70 per cent of deaths from lung, trachea and bronchus cancer are attributable to tobacco use.

“If the current patterns continue, tobacco will kill more than 8 million people per year by 2030. Up to half of the world’s more than 1 billion smokers will die prematurely of a tobacco related diseases.

As a point of concern he said, the tobacco industry spends approximately US$8 billion per year to promote its products which in turn attracts new tobacco users and facilitates the continued use of tobacco among the tobacco addicts.

He noted that the tobacco industry continues to succeed in overcoming partial restrictions on tobacco marketing in Botswana, which he said  remains passive and effective in promoting tobacco use.

He however said efforts to curb the depiction of tobacco use in movies and in print media have increased over the years, noting that there is evidence that indicates that progress has been made in this area which translates into lower rates of youth smoking initiatives.

Rev Mulosu stressed that tobacco industry continues to blatantly violate the current control of smoking legislation. Ends