• It has been nearly 15 years since Zambia ratified the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
• Tobacco production contributes minimally to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
• Citizen’s health should be given utmost priority before any economic advancements.

Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) has urged Government to enact the Tobacco Control Bill in the same way it has shown commitment to reform the law governing the tobacco industry.

CTPD Legal Researcher Luyando Muloshi said it has been nearly 15 years since Zambia ratified the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and no tangible progress beyond a draft tobacco control bill, has been made in domesticating the Convention by enacting a comprehensive national tobacco control law.

“Zambia as a signatory to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) committed itself to giving priority to protect public health by adopting effective administrative, policy and legislative measures to mitigate the spread of the tobacco epidemic,” she pointed out.

Ms. Muloshi noted strong laws, as proven in countries with comprehensive tobacco control legislative measures such as Kenya, Namibia, and Ghana, are essential in the fight against tobacco use.

She said the progress made to pass a pro-tobacco law while Cabinet has not even approved the Anti Nicotine and Tobacco Control Bill has pushed efforts towards tobacco control a step backwards and has created further policy misalignment between the economic and health sectors.

Ms. Muloshi stated that according to the World Health Organization, the adverse health effects caused by tobacco consumption both in terms of deaths caused and the cost burden on the health sector, far outweigh the economic benefits of tobacco production as advanced by tobacco players and the commerce industry.

“Moreover, tobacco production contributes minimally to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and therefore, citizen’s health should be given utmost priority before any economic advancements,” she noted.

The CTPD legal researcher indicated that Government’s commitment to advance the interests of the tobacco industry while no progress has been made towards enacting a tobacco control law is one of serious concern, considering “Government recently introduced before Parliament several bills for enactment into law. Key among these laws is a pro-tobacco industry and commerce law – the Tobacco Bill, which if enacted will repeal and replace the existing Tobacco Act and the Tobacco Levy Act of 1967.”

She explained that “a review of the Tobacco Bill shows that the proposed law largely aims to support and promote the growth, of the tobacco industry in the country evidenced through, amongst many things, the proposed reconstitution of the Tobacco Board of Zambia (a statutory body responsible for the promotion, regulation and monitoring of the production, marketing and packing of tobacco in the country) to include a number of key players such as the ministries of agriculture, commerce, and finance respectively, the Attorney General, the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as small- and large-scale tobacco growers, to mention but a few.”

According to Ms. Muloshi, the proposed law also advances for a more systematic and efficient operation of the tobacco industry by providing for comprehensive and tightened statutory mechanisms for the registration, licensing, and sale of tobacco, as well as by enhancing the functions of the Tobacco Board.