The Centre for Trade Policy and Development has commended the government particularly the Ministry of Health for its zero-tolerance on tobacco consumption particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whilst updating the nation on the progression of COVID-19 at a recent press briefing, the Minister of Health recently shed light on the dangers of tobacco consumption and the added risk that it presents in so far as prevention and treatment of COVID-19 IS concerned.
The Minister of Health discouraged Zambians from smoking and exposing themselves to tobacco smoking.
Tobacco related illnesses such as heart and respiratory diseases, account for more than 7000 deaths in Zambia annually at a cost to the economy of approximately K2.8 billion, according to the Ministry of Health’s Investment Case for Tobacco Control in Zambia.
A study conducted at Harvard University and published in the Tobacco Disease Journal, also revealed that smokers are at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 and can suffer complications such as Pneumonia should they contract COVID-19 than non-smokers.
The tally of COVID-19 infections in Zambia now stands at 39 with 7 recoveries and 1 death. Although no new infections have been reported in 5 days, however this does not mean that the further spread has been eliminated.
CTPD Researcher Chileshe Mange said the public must remain vigilant and continue to implement social distancing and self-quarantine measures.
Ms Mange has also urged the government to enhance enforcement of existing legislation which prohibits smoking in public places such as the Public Health Regulations, Statutory Instrument number 163 of 1992 and the Local Government Prohibition of Smoking in Public Place) Regulations Statutory Instrument number No. 39 of 2008.
She said these regulations prohibit smoking in all public places including smoking in hospitals, health centers and public transport.
Ms Mange said in addition, the burden that COVID-19 has placed on the public health system and the inter linkages between the disease and tobacco consumption provide a further impetus for Parliament to pass the Tobacco Products and Nicotine Products Control Bill as soon as practicable in order to enhance and harmonize tobacco control efforts.
She has also recommended that the government accelerate Zambia’s accession to the Protocol on the Elimination of the Illicit Trade on Tobacco Products which is the first protocol developed as a result of the World Health Organization Framework Convention On Tobacco Control.
Ms Mange said the essence of the ITP is to reduce all forms of illicit trade in tobacco products such as production of counterfeit and contraband, tax evasion and smuggling.
She said approximately 30 percent of the tobacco products such as cigarettes in Zambia enter the market illegally which increases access of cigarettes to the public and contributes to increased consumption, especially among youths and adolescents.
Ms Mange said the accession of the country to the ITP will provide a legal basis to implement stricter tobacco trade and control measures.
A fire at one end and a fool at the other end. That is the act of smoking.
In other coutries the Marijuan shops are put as essential shops in the Coronavirus period, so it means there is magic in it !! Please let Sinkamba shade more light on the connection between Marijuana and Covid-19. Just thinking aloud!!
since those two doctors talked about Africa as a testing ground for Covid 19 vaccine, 8415 French have died. They have not been heard since, either defending their statement or apologizing. could they be in in the 8415? The minister should discourage smoking in totality else some chaps will concentrate on smoking petrol.
Ba editor change that headline zero tolerance means nothing ‘0’. So given your headline and content its night and day. If there was 0 tolerance which would be awesome it would mean if found smoking or enganged in the sale of tobacco you can be prosecuted. In this instance it’s just a recommendation from CTPD researchers and not an enacted law, am sure MOH doesn’t even have this on their radar for sure! So please align headlines with content, dont fall prey to the click bait internet culture. You are going to report be honest your readers deserve that much.
Really laughable …commending a foooolish govt that is happy to welcome Big Tobacco manufacturers in the country in the name of job creation and tax. These fooooools in Lungu’s govt forget that the total area planted for tobacco in 2012 in Zambia was 59,000 hectares (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2015). Most of the tobacco grown in Zambia, about 70%, is the flue-cured Virginia type and almost all of the rest is Burley (Tobacco Board of Zambia, 2015).
Then why sell the stuff?
Smoking is bad for health and reduced your stamina in bed. This is why some of you smokers are being cheated on.
Ms. Mange should also address the fact that a lot of Zambian women have taken to smoking shisha – it is now a status symbol and under the illusion of being safer. When it is women’s issues, women tend to meander and fail to address the elephant in the room. Tobacco is Tobacco – there are no shortcuts.
Kaizer Zulu, you are spot on. People who smoke are very weak in bed. The smell of tobacco is horrible. Only emotionally weak chaps smoke.