15/09/2024
Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation had ban public smoking in the country.
It is said that public smoking in every part of the country is now unlawful and defaulters liable to fined or imprisoned.
The ban followed the enactment of the To***co and Ni****ne Act in 2022 which goal is to protect the public against the harmful effects of to***co.
According to Dr. Santigie Sesay, Director of the Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases, though To***co is a legal product but one’s right to smoke should not put another’s health at risk, stating that in Sierra Leone, To***co use is a major public concern in which 18% of men and 3% of women aged 15-49 years estimated to be To***co users, despite increased awareness on the harmful effects of to***co.
While giving the impact of to***co smoking, Dr. Sesay said that to***co kills half of all its users, emphasizing that to***co is the leading cause of cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes, adding that it it’s a motivating factor for infertility, miscarriage, bad breath and high blood pressure. “Globally, to***co causes over 2 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases each year and 1 in 10-heart disease deaths are linked to to***co while second-hand smoking accounts for 900 thousand premature deaths each year”. Said Dr. Sesay.
The to***co and ni****ne Act is part of a broader strategy to regulate to***co in the country thereby protecting the public to the risks and exposure to to***co, including minors, non-smokers as well as pregnant women,” he continued that they are not trying to get people jailed, but to ensure public health and safety for all and the country stands to accrued billions of Leones from to***co taxation alone.
Talking on the popularization of the to***co and ni****ne Act, Dr. Sesay said that they are in the process of setting the To***co and Ni****ne Control Council which will drive the popularization of the Act in collaboration with stakeholders at a level.
The NCD Director concluded by calling all stakeholders for a concerted efforts to promote the risks and harmful effects of to***co consumption as well as the To***co and Ni****ne Act through awareness raising at every level.
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