Sudan Scholars - 'Tobacco Not Allowed in Islam'

allafrica.com – 8 de enero de 2017 – Sudan
The use of tobacco is no less dangerous and evil than the use of drugs, Saleh said.

Publicación original: 

http://allafrica.com/stories/201701090127.html 

Enforce new tobacco rules

nation.co.ke – 1 de septiembre de 2016 – Kenia

Publicación original:
See more at: 

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Editorial/Enforce-new-tobacco-rules/440804-3364572-njqcw3z/

Poor countries increasingly targeted by tobacco marketing

yahoo.com – 30 de Noviembre de 2015 – EEUU

See more at:
Publicación original: 

http://news.yahoo.com/poor-countries-increasingly-targeted-tobacco-marketing-000353898.html

British American Tobacco accused of bribing government officials

theguardian.com – 30 de Noviembre de 2015 – UK

British American Tobacco paid bribes to government officials in a bid to undermine the UN’s global anti-smoking treaty, an investigation by the BBC has alleged.

Documents obtained by the BBC’s Panorama programme show that representatives from three African countries connected to the World Health Organisation’s framework convention on tobacco control took bribes from the tobacco company.

See more at:

Publicación original: 

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/30/british-american-tobacco-bribing-panorama-smoking

Gov’t raises tax on tobacco products

ghanaweb.com – 29 de Julio de 2015 – Ghana

Government is optimistic Parliament’s approval for an increase in the excise duty on tobacco products, from 150 percent to 175 percent of the ex-factory price, will further discourage consumption of the products.

Ghana’s excise tax, as a percentage of cigarette prices, is considered among the lowest in the West African sub-region.

Now Parliament has approved the Excise Duty (Amendment) bill, 2015, which sought to amend the 2014 Act and increase the duty on cigarettes and cigars.

See more at:

Publicación original: 

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Gov-t-raises-tax-on-tobacco-products-371902

Uganda: Anti-Tobacco Bill Passed

allafrica.com – 29 de Julio de 2015 – Uganda

By Deo Walusimbi

A reveller smoking in a public place

MPs yesterday passed the Anti-tobacco Bill 2014 with some amendments, ending uncertainty over a public health initiative opposed by corporate interests.

First moved in March 2014 by Kinkiizi East MP Dr Chris Baryomunsi, now the junior minister of health for general duties, the bill seeks to promote and protect the right to health and life as a fundamental human right.

Should President Museveni assent to the bill, it will set the bar higher for both the tobacco industry and smokers. Among other things, the bill establishes the tobacco control committee, and imposes a responsibility on a person consuming tobacco product to ensure the he or she doesn't expose another person to tobacco smoke.

See more at:

Publicación original:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201507291935.html

Ghana to Increase Prices of Tobacco Products

allafrica.com – 26 de Julio de 2015 – Ghana

As part of efforts to reduce the consumption of tobacco products and its related health hazards, Parliament has approved an increase in the price of tobacco products in the country.

The increase follows the passage of the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2015 into Law.

The Bill which was presented to the House and read the first time by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, last Friday in accordance with Article 174(1) of the 1992 constitution, seeks to amend the first schedule of the Excise Duty Act, 2014 (Act 878) to increase the Excise Duty on cigarettes and cigars from 150 per cent of the ex-factory price to 170 per cent.

Namibia: Tobacco Is Bad for Food Security

dw.de – 12 de Junio de 2015 – Africa
ALLOW me space in your newspaper to express my concern over the planned tobacco plantation in the Zambezi region and to appreciate minister Bernard Haufiku (health minister) for his efforts to fight this project.

See more at:
Publicación original: 

http://allafrica.com/stories/201506120693.html 

Take measures on illicit tobacco trade – WHO urges Ghana

ghanaweb.com – 12 de Junio de 2015 – Ghana
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called on Ghana to urgently ratify the Protocol on illicit trade of tobacco products in the country as a sure measure to protect public health.

The organisation urged the Ministry of Health to work to get the legal instrument on illicit trade of tobacco reviewed and submitted for parliamentary approval as soon practicable.

See more at:
Publicación original: 

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/health/artikel.php?ID=362129 

Responsabilidad social: el último disfraz de la industria del tabaco

elpais.com – 13 de marzo de 2015 – África

Becas escolares en Uganda financiadas por British American Tobacco (grupo empresarial al que pertenecen las marcas Lucky Strike, Pall Mall o Dunhill). Donaciones, ampliamente publicitadas, de equipos para diagnosticar anemia falciforme en niños –una enfermedad hereditaria especialmente presente en zonas de África- en la República Democrática del Congo.

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/03/12/ciencia/1426181505_972031.html

Health minister opposes tobacco project

newera.com.na 11 de marzo de 2015 – Namibia

ONAMUTAYI – The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, has joined the ranks of Namibians opposed to a 10 000-hectare tobacco farm in the Zambezi Region involving Namibia Oriental Tobacco CC – a Chinese investor.

Former Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) spokesperson, Job Amupanda, and a group of other youths exposed plans to develop a 10 000-hectare fertile piece of land at Liselo into a tobacco farm.

kamwi, who in his term as minister of health initiated – among others – the Tobacco Products Control Act that outlaws smoking in public places, condemned the proposed tobacco farm this week. He objected to the project when he officially inaugurated Onamutayi Primary Health Care Clinic in the Oshana Region on Monday.

“If what was reported in the media last week is true, then it is very unfortunate. Tobacco to be planted in Namibia, this is very disappointing,” lamented the outgoing minister of health.

He reiterated that the tobacco industry is not in the best interest of the country because it is hazardous to people’s health and the health hazards of this sector far outweigh its economic benefits.

“This project of tobacco will cut our lives short. It is very unfortunate that we just introduced the law, put it in practice last year July to stop smoking but now we are planting tobacco,” he said.

He was referring to the law that prohibits smoking in public places, any outdoor public place or any area within a certain distance to a window, a ventilation inlet, door or entrance that officials still find difficult to enforce.

Publicación original:

See more at:

http://www.newera.com.na/2015/03/11/health-minister-opposes-tobacco-project/

Tobacco industry accused of 'intimidation and interference' in Kenya

theguardian.com – 2 de marzo de 2015 – Kenya

More than 50 years after Kenya gained independence from British colonial rule, one company is steadfastly refusing to loosen its grip on power in the country: British American Tobacco (BAT).

The tobacco giant still controls 70% of the market in the country, which has the highest recorded smoking prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa, and where 10% of 13- to 15-year-olds smoke.

BAT’s desire to protect its share of the lucrative market puts it in direct opposition to the World Health Organization, whose groundbreaking Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) came into force in 2005. All but two of the 47 countries in the WHO African region have ratified the treaty.

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/mar/02/tobacco-industry-accused-intimidation-interference-kenya

allafrica.com – 14 de diciembre de 2014 – Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe to Lobby Against Tobacco Law

Zimbabwe and other Sadc tobacco producing countries plan to lobby for the scrapping of plain cigarette tobacco packaging at the forthcoming World Health Organisation (WHO) convention.

The countries say the move promoted illegal sale of cigarettes and would prejudice their economies.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) will be held in three months time at the United Nations offices in New York as the world marks the two-year anniversary of tobacco plain packaging that was introduced by Australia.

Deemed to be "the world's toughest anti-smoking law" measures, Australia's plain packaging laws prohibit the use of all trademarks, logos, fonts, and colors, on tobacco products and was introduced to allow the use of standardized huge graphics discouraging smoking.

However, despite the introduction of the law, a survey by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has shown a slight increase in youth smoking among 12-17 year olds, with smoking rates up from 3,8% to 5% between 2010 and 2013, representing an increase of 32%.

Although Zimbabwe's tobacco industry has not yet reported a decline in tobacco sales volumes due to tough tobacco laws, an increase in illegal sales which has the potential of prejudicing the economy has been reported by KPMG in October.

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201412140135.html

thisdaylive.com – 8 de diciembre de 2014 – Nigeria

Strengthening Nigeria’s Tobacco Control Law

Ordinarily given widespread awareness about the dangers of smoking there should not be some of the cock and bull arguments against strong elements of the bill but there are vested interests that do not want a strong tobacco control bill in the country. The industry selling addiction and death will want a law that makes it business as usual. Nigeria’s over 150 million population remains a major market for unregulated profit regardless of the fact their products kill, cause diseases, and dislocate social fabrics.

In October, media reports informed that the National Tobacco Control Bill have passed Second Reading both at the Senate and the House of Representatives. It is believed that the Health Committees of the two chambers are currently working to sync submissions made by different interest groups at the Public Hearings with the draft bill towards submitting final bill documents in the different houses.

Publicación original: 
See more at:

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/strengthening-nigeria-s-tobacco-control-law/196160/

newvision.co.ug – 12 de Noviembre de 2014 – Uganda

Artists join hands to fight tobacco use among minors

Several Ugandan artists have joined hands to fight the use of tobacco to save the young generation from the negative health, environmental and economic effects associated with the practice.

The artists with the help of a social enterprise, Text To Change (TTC) have formed a web page dubbed “Wall of Fame” that comprises of celebrities such as members of parliament, radio personalities, actors and journalists with a purpose to influence the youths and school going children to desist the use of tobacco in their daily lives because of its health related problems.

“These are the people who the young generation looks up to as role . We want them to use their platforms to change the

behavior and practices of the youths towards tobacco use,” Patrick Mujjuka, a radio presenter explained.

Mujjuka said artists are struggling to have a tobacco free environment.

Artists including Ruth Wanyana, Sam Gombya and his wife Sophie Gombya among others also want to put pressure on parliament to speed up the passing of the bill to save the country from the economic and health related side effects associated with the tobacco use.

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/661745-artists-join-hands-to-fight-tobacco-use-among-minors.html

devex.com – 03 de Noviembre de 2014 – África

In Africa, tobacco presents a looming threat to healthy living

In 2013, The Network of African Science Academies, in collaboration with the United States National Academies, convened a committee of 16 diverse experts, including me, to discuss the current state of tobacco use, prevention and control policies in Africa.

The committee’s findings, recently published in Preventing a Tobacco Epidemic in Africa, were alarming: Without comprehensive tobacco prevention and control policies, smoking prevalence in Africa will increase by nearly 39 percent by 2030, from 15.8 percent in 2010 to 21.9 percent. While tobacco use and tobacco-attributable mortality rates in Africa are currently among the lowest in the world, data indicate that without intervention, this situation will change dramatically for the worse.

The committee’s report also revealed some startling findings about tobacco as it relates to Africa’s women and youth. Though fewer African women smoke, they are disproportionately affected by tobacco through not only the direct effects of smoking, but also secondhand smoking and the secondary effect of smoking on pregnant women and their fetuses. African youth, meanwhile, represent the largest potential market for tobacco, and levels of smoking in this highly vulnerable population will continue to rise as aggressive tobacco marketing encourages the uptake of smoking. Both women and youth are also targets of covert messaging from the tobacco industry that is designed to mainstream smoking behavior as an element of evolving social norms and empowerment.

Publicación original:
See more at:

https://www.devex.com/news/in-africa-tobacco-presents-a-looming-threat-to-healthy-living-84680

allafrica.com – 20 de Octubre de 2014 – EEUU

Africa: Increased Taxes, Regulation Key to Fighting Tobacco 'Epidemic,' Says UN Health Agency

The implementation of higher taxes on tobacco products and greater regulation for electronic cigarettes are among the decisions passed by a United Nations-backed conference amid comprehensive efforts to clamp down on the tobacco "epidemic" and save millions of lives, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced.

In a press release marking the conclusion of the Sixth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the UN health agency underscored the passing of Article 6 - a "landmark" decision taken by delegates in an effort to reduce the global consumption of tobacco, noting that taxation is "a very effective tool" for influencing the prices of tobacco and its demand.

"Higher taxes usually lead to higher prices, which in turn lead to lower consumption," declared the WHO press release which added that the new regulations provided for tax rates to be "monitored, increased and adjusted annually" and be taxed in "a comparable way to prevent substitutions of the use of one product with another."

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201410211054.html

ngrguardiannews.com – 17 de Octubre de 2014 – Nigeria

Regulating tobacco production and smoking

THE anti-smoking bill currently in the National Assembly has joyfully, brought unto the front burner the issue of tobacco smoking and its health implications. The bill, which has gone through second reading in the Senate, seeks for an act to regulate and control the production, sale, advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products in the country. This, certainly, is long overdue. While the spirited resistance of the tobacco companies is a major impediment, government should not succumb to blackmail from such entrenched interests.

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/opinion/editorial/183263-regulating-tobacco-production-and-smoking

theguardian.com – 16 de Octubre de 2014 – Africa

Ebola may be in the headlines, but tobacco is another killer in Africa

Ebola is the biggest health story being reported from Africa at the moment, and rightly so. As the death toll climbs higher into the thousands, the virus is instilling into the global community a combination of urgency, outrage and need for action.

At the same time as Ebola grabs the headlines, another killer pandemic of tremendous significance continues to sweep the African continent relatively unnoticed. Tobacco kills one out of two long term users, or one person every six seconds. At current rates, it is set to kill 1bn globally (pdf) before 2100 – that’s more than 200,000 times the current number of Ebola deaths. Millions of those who die will be African.

It is a story of injustice and inequality. While transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) take home humungous profits, such as the £5.5bn UK-based British American Tobacco (BAT) pocketed in 2013, each year they leave more than half a trillion dollars (pdf) of economic damage in their wake, contribute to environmental degradation and compromise the health and sustainability of populations.

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/oct/16/ebola-tobacco-africa-smoking-deaths-millions?view=desktop

news24.com – 14 de Octubre de 2014 – Sudáfrica

5 things you should probably know before vaping
Cape Town – You might think that vaping sounds like a word you’ll most probably hear in an episode of True Blood.

But you're wrong. Vaping is what people do when they suck on one of those electronic cigarettes.

It's already a new trend and e-cigarettes are all the rage. But what do we really know about those electronic pleasure sticks (get your mind out of the gutter)?

Publicación original:
See more at:

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/5-things-you-should-probably-know-before-vaping-20141014