TSUMEB – Health deputy minister Esther Muinjangue said plans are underway to amend the Tobacco Act to regulate tobacco vaping products in the country by the end of this month.
Muinjangue said this during the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day held in Tsumeb on Friday, adding that the ministry also plans to develop a tobacco strategic plan for the country with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“Over 180 countries in the world including us, have adopted a WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2003, which came into force in 2005 and is the first global public health treaty,” she said.
She said that the FCTC included price and tax measures, non-price measures, protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, support for tobacco cessation, tobacco product regulation, public awareness and regulation on tobacco products, to help control the mushrooming of novel tobacco products such as hubbly bubbly and electronic cigarettes.
“We planned to reduce tobacco use through this day in the world and safeguarding public health and also fostering sustainable development,” Muinjangue said.
WHO representative at the event, Laimi Ashipala said the tobacco epidemic is very dangerous and kills half of its users.
“Around eight million people around the globe die every year because of tobacco use, and more than seven million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use,” she said.
Namibia is not spared from the tobacco epidemic and about 11 000 people who are around the ages of 11-15 years use tobacco.
“Tobacco use is a major risk factor for various chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular, lung diseases, birth defects, and respiratory illness,” said Ashipala while urging the stop of tobacco use in Namibia by discouraging the use of electronic cigarettes and the marketing of tobacco products in Namibia.
Oshikoto regional councillor for the Tsumeb constituency Gottlieb Ndjendjela urged for tobacco smokers to be sensitised on the dangers they pose to others, especially friends and family, through second-hand smoking.
“We ensure that non-smokers especially children and youth are educated on the danger of smoking,” she said.
-Nampa
(Smoking)
Caption: Regulation… The health ministry will start regulating tobacco vaping products in the country by the end of this month.
Photo: Nampa