Sections
DONATE
SUPPORT WWW.JOLLOFNEWS.COM
Account Login
Senegal: Anti-tobacco activists demand spending on health promotion
Tuesday, 01 June 2010 23:59
Anti-tobacco activists in Senegal have used the global commemoration of World No Tobacco Day to call on the government to spend
part of the money it generates as tax in curtailing the deadly effect of the substance.The country’s anti-smoking movement leaders argued that part of the 32 billion CFA francs the government gained from the tobacco industries could go to initiatives such as the promotion of health, including diseases related to cancer.
World No Tobacco Day, celebrated on May 31, served as an opportunity for the activists to highlight the harmful effects of tobacco.
They warned that its consumption was gaining ground in the country.
According to a survey conducted by an NGO that focuses on monitoring the effect of smoking among youths in schools, girls constitutes 10.2% of young smokers aged 13-15 years. The same survey revealed that 20.1% of boys the same age consume cigarette, all this despite Senegal being a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
The activists are querying the effort of the government in pushing for the all powerful tobacco industry to implement or enforce standards of sales and distribution of cigarettes.
According to the activists, only Article 6 of the convention, which relates to tax increase on tobacco products, is observed in Senegal. They charged that this provision is implemented by the government only because it allows it to pocket higher returns in terms of revenue. This, apparently, is what the activists find unacceptable.
"Today we must fight for the tobacco industry established in Senegal to finance the activities of Health and those movements that fight against tobacco," they said in a statement.
But indications are that this is not on the agenda at the manufacturers’ level.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), young women have become the new target of the industry who are devising all forms of method to beat whatever effort is employed to counter it.
Jollofnews Poll
Who do you think should be the next President of The Gambia?
Follow us on Twitter
-
Anti-cuts protest at Clegg's homeHundreds of anti-cuts protesters gather outside Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's home in south-west London.
-
Egypt candidate to seek election suspension: lawyerCAIRO (Reuters) - Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahy will file an appeal for Egypt's presidential election...
-
Bristol Rovers Speed Merchant Could Be Racing To Posh(GamSports) – Peterborough United are thought to be one of a number of Championship sides...