Make Uganda smoke-free
May 30, 2007
TODAY is World No Tobacco Day. In line with the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, government is finalising commitment documents to make Uganda smoke-free.
TODAY is World No Tobacco Day. In line with the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, government is finalising commitment documents to make Uganda smoke-free. The convention demands government commitment to compel manufacturers to label cigarettes with a bigger and clearer warning that tobacco kills and to make them contribute to the rehabilitation of addicted smokers.
Tobacco is dangerous to every organ in the body. According to WHO, it is the second major cause of death in the world. Every eight seconds someone somewhere is killed as a result of tobacco use. It is currently responsible for the death of one in 10 adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year).
If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today - that is about 650 million people - will eventually be killed by tobacco.
Passive smoking is even more dangerous. It is a killer. In spite of the fact that Uganda has a law against smoking in public, it is not enforced because most of the public, who should play a watchdog role, are ignorant of the dangers of passive smoking. Children exposed to second-hand smoking are at increased rate of sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems, cancer and more severe asthma. The only sure protection is to have a smoke-free environment. It is even not viable to carve out smoke zones because smoke will float to non-smokers in the same zone. There is need to create supportive laws and to sensitise the public so that those who abuse the law are sued for compensation.
Proprietors of public places must hang up clear signs of ‘No Smoking’ and enforce it. The National Bureau of Standards should enforce international standard labels which are big, pictorial and mention death. Government and stakeholders must also provide economically viable alternatives to tobacco growers. Let us all work to make Uganda smoke-free.
Tobacco is dangerous to every organ in the body. According to WHO, it is the second major cause of death in the world. Every eight seconds someone somewhere is killed as a result of tobacco use. It is currently responsible for the death of one in 10 adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year).
If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today - that is about 650 million people - will eventually be killed by tobacco.
Passive smoking is even more dangerous. It is a killer. In spite of the fact that Uganda has a law against smoking in public, it is not enforced because most of the public, who should play a watchdog role, are ignorant of the dangers of passive smoking. Children exposed to second-hand smoking are at increased rate of sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems, cancer and more severe asthma. The only sure protection is to have a smoke-free environment. It is even not viable to carve out smoke zones because smoke will float to non-smokers in the same zone. There is need to create supportive laws and to sensitise the public so that those who abuse the law are sued for compensation.
Proprietors of public places must hang up clear signs of ‘No Smoking’ and enforce it. The National Bureau of Standards should enforce international standard labels which are big, pictorial and mention death. Government and stakeholders must also provide economically viable alternatives to tobacco growers. Let us all work to make Uganda smoke-free.