Plan to ban public smoking, tobacco ads in Jamaica

Legislation that seeks a total ban on tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion of all forms, and ensuring smoke-free environments in all enclosed spaces, will go to Parliament in a matter of weeks.

The law will also include the prohibition of the sale of tobacco products to minors and will also address the matter of illicit trade of tobacco products among other areas.

“I expect, within three weeks, to have the matter placed before the Parliament and we would have had the framework tobacco legislation in place,” said Minister of Health Rudyard Spencer yesterday. “The Chief Parliamentary Council is making the final amendments to the documents after which it will be tabled in Parliament."

The tobacco control legislation is in keeping with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) – an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.

Minister Spencer noted that greater interest is being placed on tobacco control, coming out of the First Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-Communicable Disease Control which was held in Moscow in April.

“Of particular interest is that the Moscow Declaration urges state parties to accelerate implementation of the provisions of the WHO FCTC,” he said.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eva Lewis-Fuller said that a survey conducted by the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) in 2010, had found that 24.6 percent of young people were smokers with the number of female smokers on the increase.

“It really tells the tale that, for all that is being said by the tobacco industry that they are doing these responsibility programmes, what they are doing is stimulating more smoking,” she said.

Meantime, Spencer said his ministry will be continuing efforts to increase health promotion in order to attain the highest level of healthcare for all Jamaicans.

“Our country like many other countries around the world is facing a silent epidemic. Approximately one out of six deaths is due mainly to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. One in 13 Jamaicans in the 15 to 74 age cohort has diabetes, and one in four Jamaicans in the same age cohort has hypertension,” he lamented.

He said the prevalence of diabetes increases with age with 14 percent of Jamaicans, 25 years or older, living with the disease. “The prevalence of these diseases is higher in persons with lower levels of education and fewer household possessions. Sixty percent of persons with diabetes will have three or more co-morbid conditions,” Spencer said.

The Health Minister said it will take a significant investment in health promotion and education, health systems strengthening and clinical interventions to address this growing epidemic, noting that partners in the private sector, non-governmental organisations and faith-based groups are critical in moving the agenda forward.