–Health for All Coalition urges
By Alfred Koroma
The Health for All Coalition in collaboration has called on the government to establish the Tobacco and Nicotine Control Council.
The Council is key to the implementation of the Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act which was passed into law in 2022.
The coalition made the call in a press statement read at an event organized to raise awareness about the new Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act.
The law prohibits public smoking and selling of tobacco and nicotine products to children.
Health for All Coalition commends the government for passing the law, but warns the benefits of the Act now depend on its full and unconditional implementation.
“We therefore call on the Government through the Ministry of Health to establish the Tobacco and Nicotine Control Council as mandated by the Act and ensure that it is fully functional,” Health for All Coalition Director, Charles Mambu said.
“Tobacco is one of the world’s notable public health issues that the world is battling. Tobacco has three basic risks: the risks to your health, the risk to the environment and the risk to the economy,” Mambu added.
Edward Jusu, Health for All Coalition Tobacco Control Project Manager emphasised tobacco use is bad for health. So it is important to sensitise those who are smoking it.
Tobacco causes cancer and leads to cardiovascular disease. In men, it is one of the leading causes of impotency, he said.
