Four years after its enactment into law, the Tobacco Control Act of 2010, which bans smoking in all public places, will come into force in April.
“Under the definition of public places, we include all venues where people are gathered. This includes all public institutions, as well as restaurants, bars, shebeens, and also sports venues.”
This was said by Deputy Director of Public and Environmental Health, Mr Benson Ntomwa, during an in-depth interview with the Namib Times on Monday.
Smoking on all forms of public transport will also be illegal.
Under the new law, graphic pictures displaying the harmful effects and the dangers of tobacco smoke will have to be placed on cigarette packets, with clear warning labels. There will also be additional restrictions on the sale of tobacco to persons under the age of 18.
Placing restrictions on advertising is “a sensitive legal issue”, he said, but the ministry has made it clear that it is opposed to advertising tobacco products in places where children can see them.
Mr Ntomwa says there is a worldwide move to control and limit the harmful effects of tobacco smoke on public health, and with the decline of smoking in Europe and America , the target market for tobacco companies has shifted to Africa , where people do not necessarily understand the risks of smoking tobacco.
He believes the new law is essential in terms of maintaining public health and protecting the next generation from the harmful effects of tobacco.
Dealing with the long-term impact of tobacco-related illnesses is also costing the government a lot of money, he said.
Despite threats from tobacco companies to sue the Namibian government if further controls are imposed on their products, the ministry will go ahead to enforce the new regulations to control the harmful substance.
Asked how the government will enforce the new tobacco law, Mr Ntomwa noted that the Minister of Health has set up a Committee on Tobacco Product Control and has appointed regional health inspectors with special powers to monitor and enforce the legislation.
Speaking in Windhoek on Friday, Health Minister Richard Kamwi said, “We are all here to make these important life-saving measures a reality in Namibia . I would like to assure you that the Ministry of Health and Social Services will take all the necessary measures and provide all possible support for this to happen. We also depend on the dedication and commitment of all our stakeholders, and the whole-hearted cooperation of all Namibian citizens.”
In February the Namib Times reported that major tobacco companies are fighting tooth and nail to prevent the implementation of the new Tobacco Control Act, which would require them to remove all brand advertising on cigarette packets and put on large warning labels on their products instead.
In the case of Namibia , the tobacco industry argued that forcing them to put large warning labels on cigarette packets infringes on their intellectual property rights and they threatened the government with lawsuits if it should attempt to implement the new law.
"We have bundles and bundles of letters from them (the tobacco industry)… We have decided to put our foot down. If they want to go to court, we will see them there.” Dr Kamwi said in December 2013.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than five million people lose their lives every year due to smoking-related diseases.
The number of deaths caused by smoking exceeds the total number of people killed by tuberculosis, HIV/Aids and malaria combined. Tobacco smoke is also responsible for 90% of cases of lung cancer, 70% of chronic respiratory illness and 25% of heart disease.
“Under the definition of public places, we include all venues where people are gathered. This includes all public institutions, as well as restaurants, bars, shebeens, and also sports venues.”
This was said by Deputy Director of Public and Environmental Health, Mr Benson Ntomwa, during an in-depth interview with the Namib Times on Monday.
Smoking on all forms of public transport will also be illegal.
Under the new law, graphic pictures displaying the harmful effects and the dangers of tobacco smoke will have to be placed on cigarette packets, with clear warning labels. There will also be additional restrictions on the sale of tobacco to persons under the age of 18.
Placing restrictions on advertising is “a sensitive legal issue”, he said, but the ministry has made it clear that it is opposed to advertising tobacco products in places where children can see them.
Mr Ntomwa says there is a worldwide move to control and limit the harmful effects of tobacco smoke on public health, and with the decline of smoking in Europe and America , the target market for tobacco companies has shifted to Africa , where people do not necessarily understand the risks of smoking tobacco.
He believes the new law is essential in terms of maintaining public health and protecting the next generation from the harmful effects of tobacco.
Dealing with the long-term impact of tobacco-related illnesses is also costing the government a lot of money, he said.
Despite threats from tobacco companies to sue the Namibian government if further controls are imposed on their products, the ministry will go ahead to enforce the new regulations to control the harmful substance.
Asked how the government will enforce the new tobacco law, Mr Ntomwa noted that the Minister of Health has set up a Committee on Tobacco Product Control and has appointed regional health inspectors with special powers to monitor and enforce the legislation.
Speaking in Windhoek on Friday, Health Minister Richard Kamwi said, “We are all here to make these important life-saving measures a reality in Namibia . I would like to assure you that the Ministry of Health and Social Services will take all the necessary measures and provide all possible support for this to happen. We also depend on the dedication and commitment of all our stakeholders, and the whole-hearted cooperation of all Namibian citizens.”
In February the Namib Times reported that major tobacco companies are fighting tooth and nail to prevent the implementation of the new Tobacco Control Act, which would require them to remove all brand advertising on cigarette packets and put on large warning labels on their products instead.
In the case of Namibia , the tobacco industry argued that forcing them to put large warning labels on cigarette packets infringes on their intellectual property rights and they threatened the government with lawsuits if it should attempt to implement the new law.
"We have bundles and bundles of letters from them (the tobacco industry)… We have decided to put our foot down. If they want to go to court, we will see them there.” Dr Kamwi said in December 2013.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than five million people lose their lives every year due to smoking-related diseases.
The number of deaths caused by smoking exceeds the total number of people killed by tuberculosis, HIV/Aids and malaria combined. Tobacco smoke is also responsible for 90% of cases of lung cancer, 70% of chronic respiratory illness and 25% of heart disease.
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