The government of Ghana and global policymakers have been tasked to step up legislation and strengthen existing schemes to make tobacco producers responsible for the environmental and economic costs of dealing with tobacco waste products.
Tobacco usage does not only pose a health threat to the user or those around them, but it contributes to bush fires and fire outbreaks at markets and other public places.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Delese Mimi Darko disclosed this during the launch of this year’s National World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) celebration at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
“This fight against tobacco is a fight against microplastic and toxins poisoning our water, soil, and aquatic life. The contamination of the air in our immediate environment through carbon dioxide emissions from production and smoking of tobacco cannot be let out.”
The FDA CEO said the World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends a complete ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, in accordance with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
She was speaking under the theme of this year’s World No Tobacco Day Celebration “Tobacco: Threat to the Environment” to raise raising awareness among the public on the environmental impact of tobacco.
WNTD is marked on May 31st every year to highlight the dangers associated with tobacco use and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
Mrs. Darko added that measures were being enforced aimed at protecting minors from the influence of the tobacco industry and users by limiting the sale of tobacco to persons above 18 years.
“Public places where smoking is allowed are also employed to have areas designated for smoking activities to prevent exposure of other users of such facilities to secondhand smoking. All these are an attempt to safeguard the health of individuals from the numerous health risks associated with tobacco use which includes various forms of cancers, heart disease, tooth decay, miscarriages, and hearing loss among others.”
This regulation of tobacco control she said is backed by the provisions in the Public Health Act, 2012 and the Tobacco Control Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2247).
The Upper East Region was selected for this year’s launch due to possible cultural impediments to tobacco control within the region.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga|Ghana
