TOBACCO CONTROL BILL: MASEBO GIVES HOPE

By Kalobwe Bwalya

THE Government remains committed to ensuring that it enacts the Tobacco Control Bill into law in order to protect the people from its harming effects, Health Minister Silvia Masebo had said.

In an interview, Ms Masebo said the Government’s intention was to put some controls in line with international standards and protocols developed by organizations such as the United Nations (UN).

Ms. Masebo said the ministry was anxious to take the bill to the House so that some controls were put in place with regards to Tobacco usage.

“As you may be aware, the cabinet did approve a bill to be taken to Parliament from my ministry aimed at regulating the use of tobacco in Zambia. As you know tobacco has a negative impact on the people especially young ones and that a number of people get sick because of smoking tobacco,” she said.

“Even those who don’t smoke get affected because of the smoke that comes from tobacco. So the Government’s intention is to put some controls in line with international standards and protocols developed by organizations such as the United Nations.”

The Minister disclosed that some stakeholders have expressed concern over certain clauses and that the government has engaged them over the same.

“We have developed a bill and it was approved by the cabinet and went through the committee. Except that some stakeholders brought up some issues on some of the clauses. We are now at the stage of interacting specifically with those stakeholders who had reservations over the bill,” she added.

“We hope that the process will not take more time. As a ministry we are anxious to take the bill on the floor of the house. Unfortunately, this session of parliament is very short and today is the last day so we are unable to present it,” Ms. Masebo said.

She maintained that the bill will be enacted because the Government has an obligation to protect the people from the harmful effects of tobacco use.