05 Nov 2013

President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama says since 2008, government, in partnership with NGO and community stakeholders, has been taking proactive measures to combat the harmful effects of alcohol in society in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

He said the interventions had included the Alcohol Levy, which as of July 2013, had collected a cumulative total of P1.16 billion, public education and awareness, reduced hours of operation of alcohol outlets and amendment of the Road Traffic Act.

In the State-of-the-Nation address on November 4, he said he was pleased to be able to report that between 2008 and 2011 per capita pure alcohol consumption among adults had declined, although it remained above the regional average.

The President said yet, notwithstanding this general decrease, there was further evidence that up to a fifth of male and over a quarter of female alcohol consumers drink at hazardous levels, underscoring the continued need for outreach and interventions on the part of government and other stakeholders.

He said tobacco use was a risk factor for non-communicable diseases which were on the rise in Botswana and thus been implementing tobacco prevention and control initiatives. He said government have introduced a 30% tobacco levy which would be used to address the growing burden of tobacco use and the government was also in the process of repealing the Tobacco Control of Smoking Act of 1992 which would be replaced by a more comprehensive legislation. ENDS