Civil Society Urges Parliament To Adopt The Tobacco Control Regulations To Save Lives

21 September 2016. Accra – Tobacco use and tobacco smoke is the number one leading cause of preventable death in the world today. The Tobacco Atlas states that “globally, tobacco use killed 100 million people in the 20^th Century, much more than all deaths in World War 1 and 2 combined”. According to WHO, Tobacco-related death will number around 1 billion in the 21^st century if current smoking patterns continue. Tobacco products are the cheapest products on the Ghanaian market and goes for as low as 0.15pesewas. A ban on single sale of tobacco products will reduce tobacco use by minors and the poor.

Globally, countries are formulating policies that will effectively control the use of tobacco especially among the youth. Research has showed that women and children are the most affected by tobacco. Tobacco use is a major risk factor to Non-Communicable Diseases. 80,000 to 100,000 young people around the world become addicted to tobacco every day. Currently, in Ghana, 50 men get killed by tobacco every week and this number is expected to grow if urgent action is not taken. Even more troubling is that 32,500 boys and 21,000 girls smoke cigarettes in Ghana EACH DAY.

It is in view of this that the Coalition on the Tobacco Control Regulations; an umbrella coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) is calling on Government for the immediate passage of the Tobacco Control Regulations (Legislative Instruments (LIs)) by Parliament to save present and succeeding generations from the scourge of tobacco use.

The Coalition on the Tobacco Control Regulation is encouraged by the initiatives of the Ministry of Health, Food and Drugs Authority, Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Subsidiary Legislation to swiftly adopt the draft Tobacco Control Regulations when Parliament reconvene in October 2016.

CSOs advocated for the passage of the Public Health Act of 2012 (ACT 851) which included the Tobacco Control Measures. This was achieved through the support of government and Parliament. Over the past four years, CSOs have engaged government on the development of a draft Tobacco Control Regulations which when adopted will reduce tobacco deaths, heart diseases, infertility, lung cancers and disabilities resulting from tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.

Furthermore, tobacco causes extreme poverty and this is evident in the fact that in developing countries, heads of families spend 10 to 15 percent of their household income to buy tobacco products, depriving families of basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, school fees etc.

The Coalition supports the Ministry of Health and Parliament determination to ensure the adoption of yet another comprehensive Tobacco Control law.

We are delighted to know that the draft Tobacco Control Regulations has the following key provisions:

1. A Pictorial Health Warnings (PHWs) covering 65% at the top of the front and back of tobacco products packages
2. Banning the sale of single sticks of cigarette/tobacco products and banning a pack of tobacco products containing less than 20 sticks
3. A comprehensive smoke-free interventions ensuring indoor public places areas are smoke-free.
4. Provisions on tobacco industry interferences on public health policy; this provision is to ensure that, any interaction with the tobacco industry is made public so as to ensure transparency.
5. Provision on a comprehensive ban of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Enormous scientific study has demonstrated that (PHWs) are more effective than text-only warnings at communicating the dangers of smoking to prospective smokers to quit.

“The evidence is clear; there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. Many countries have already taken action. I urge all countries that have not yet done so to take this immediate and important step to protect the health of all by passing laws requiring all indoor workplaces and public places to be 100% smoke-free. Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization (2007).

Contrary to unfounded claims by the tobacco industry and its allies that smoking bans harm hospitality businesses, smoke-free laws have consistently been shown by reliable studies to have neutral or positive effects on businesses. The WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer published a review of 165 studies in 2009 that found “smoke-free policies do not have an adverse economic impact on the business activity of restaurants, bars, or establishments catering to tourists.”

Ghana ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. To effectively implement the treaty, the LIs on the TC Regulations must be passed now. It is against this backdrop that CSOs are urging government to join the ever growing number of governments acting strongly and decisively to protect its citizens from tobacco deaths and economic harm.

The Coalition on the Tobacco Control Regulations and the general public, calls for the immediate passage of the Tobacco Control Regulations by Parliament to save present and future generation from the devastating economic, social and environmental consequences of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco use.

For more information contact:
Labram Musah; Coalition On The Tobacco Control Regulations

Mobile: 024-4057950 Telephone: 030-3938058
E-mail: [email protected]