Gambia to outlaw tobacco imports

BANJUL, Gambia –  Feb.14 (Xinhua) — World Health Organisation in collaboration with the Gambia Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Tuesday organized a one day sensitization forum on the re-enforcement of anti-public smoking act in Banjul. The meeting mandated stakeholders to work out modalities to outlaw public smoking and tobacco importation in to West African nation. Gambia National Assembly Members has ratified the framework convention of United Nations on tobacco control which Gambia is a party in order to make comprehensive tobacco control in the world. Momodou Gassama, health information and promotion officer (WHO office), said tobacco is currently the second major cause of death in the world, adding that it kills one in ten people globally. This accounts for five million deaths every year. He stated that tobacco accounts for more deaths than malaria, maternal conditions and injuries combined. Seedou Njie the nominated member of the National Assembly said that the Anti-Tobacco Campaign law was ratified since 25th July 1998 and the Public Smoking Act assented to by the president was enforced. The re-enforcement was effected in October 1st 2010 and all cigarette packets being imported into Gambia are required to bear the following health warnings in the format prescribed hereafter: On the front of every new cigarette packaging, the front of the packet should bear the inscription “SMOKING KILLS”, at the back of the packet, it should bear “SMOKING SERIOUSLY HARMS YOU AND OTHERS AROUND YOU”. On the sides of the packet should be written “SOLD IN THE GAMBIA”. (Xinhua)