The Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) has advised the British American Tobacco company to respect government’s smoke ban.
ZACA Executive Secretary Muyunda Illilonga said it was sad that the cigarette company was using its youth smoking prevention campaign Launch to mislead government’s smoke ban.
Mr Illilonga said the youth smoking prevention campaign was nothing but a smoke screen by a canning multi-national company bent on watering down tobacco control legislation and interfering with public health policy by hiding behind youths.
He wondered why the company invited Local government and Housing minister Sylvia
Masebo to launch the campaign.
” This was because she passed one of the most dramatic policy decisions that the government has ever made in terms of tobacco control, ” he said.
Mr Illilonga urged the government officials to recognise the tobacco industry’s fundamental conflict of interest with health policy, and ensure that public interest was prioritised in policy development and therefore health must therefore come before profits.
In a press release to ZANIS in kitwe Friday, Mr Illilonga said since Zambia was now a signatory to the framework  convention on tobacco control, the country has obligations to fulfil under this treaty .
The executive secretary said government should be reminded of its obligations to provide alternative credible programmes to prevent the deadly epidermis caused by tobacco smoke.
He added that the elimination of smoke from public places was the only science based measure that adequately protects the populations health from dangerous effects of second hand smoke.
ZANIS/PK/ENDS/MM.
DOUBLE STANDARDS,BUHATA,MAKA,THE GOVERNMENT CAN SAY ALL THEY WANT WHEN IT COMES TO BAN SMOKING,HEY WE ALL KNOW THE GOVERMENT MAKES ITS REVENUE FROM TOBACCO,IF THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT IT,LETS SEE IF THEY CAN BAN TOBACCO GROWING COMPLETELY IF THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THOSE WHO SMOKE
#1 let them continue growing the tobacco, we need the revenue. But ba vilete kuno ku europe so that these ‘Oibos’ can choke on it
it is good that zambia has taken steps to prolong lives of its people. exposure to smoke kills off atleast two years of our lives….
I am very glad that zambia is following suit the developed world in banning smoking in public area. Why should others suffers for other peoples bad habits.Smoking is bad for you period. Well done Zambia
#1. You are right. They dont care about the health of the nation even the late president levy said he does not care provided it brings him revenue. Careless statement indeed from a president.
but,in Russia they all smoke and live longer than any Zambian not even KK.
#5 boza when did LPM say he didn’t care about his people’s health. don’t put words in his mouth just cause he’s not here to defend himself. its because of him that clinics and hospitals have been improved, many may refuse to acknowledge it but even though clinics r not yet at highest standards they r better and there’s a new hospital in the making
lEqiCH