Senate passes anti-smoking bill

In a unanimous vote, the Senate on Wednesday passed the tobacco control bill which has lingered at the Parliamentary Buildings for more than two years as it made rounds between the lower and upper chambers.The bill was first tabled in parliament on June10, 2010, by Dr. Richard Sezibera, the then Health Minister, seeking to restrict smoking in public places, among other things.The legislation is in response to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which Rwanda ratified in 2005.The restrictive law on tobacco has been passed when Rwanda’s tax receipts from tobacco products have sharply dwindled.Tax revenues from imported tobacco shrunk by 63 per cent to Rwf 110.3 million in the first six months of this year, down from Rwf 298.4 million at the same period last year.Industry players attribute the trend to the growing influence of the born again movement and stigma to public smoking.The draft legislation calls for the enlightenment of the public on the dangers of smoking, discourages smoking and protects non-smokers from persuasion or inducements that may encourage them to take up the habit.“Tobacco has today become a global concern and this is why we are introducing a tobacco control law,” Sezibera, now Secretary General of the East African Community, told parliament in 2010.The bill prohibits smoking in public areas like; office buildings, court premises, factories, cinema halls, theatres, hospitals, clinics, restaurants, hotels and bars, among other places.Article 15 of the draft law prohibits tobacco industry players from providing sponsorship intended for advertisement to cultural and sports events.Under the law, it is illegal to publicise tobacco trademarks or the name of tobacco producer at sports events.The law obliges any one seeking to grow tobacco on more than half a hectare of land to seek licence from government.Managers of enclosed public places and other restricted premises may provide smoking areas within such a place provided they do not inconvenience non-smokers.“This law shall establish modalities for controlling tobacco….so as to protect the Rwandans,” article 1 of the law reads in part.Back in 2010 when Sezibera introduced the bill, there was much agitation from irate members who demanded an outright total ban on tobacco, but two years down the road, there has literally been no debate on the bill to speak of.The World Health Organisation ranks tobacco smoking as one of the major killers, claiming approximately four million lives world-wide.

National

Senate passes anti-smoking bill