Gov’t implored to tax smokers more
Deputy Chairperson of Molepolole Council, Kenna Odirile has bemoaned the tobacco industry’s continued profiteering, putting people’s lives at risk. Odirile made the remarks following the recent countrywide Anti-Tobacco Network (ATN) campaign engaging councils under the Clean Air Botswana project, Fast-Tracking Tobacco Control Regulations for a Healthier Generation. Council authorities are demanding the urgent finalisation and implementation of subsidiary regulations to fully activate the Tobacco Control Act of 2021.
Following ATN sensitising on six councils - Moshupa, Good Hope, Jwaneng, Mabutsane, Tsabong, and Kweneng on the Tobacco Control Act’s provisions, Odirile said the government should consider increasing tobacco taxes instead of placing higher taxes on food and other products that are not harmful to people’s health. He further called for measures to make tobacco products less accessible, particularly to young people, as tobacco use continues to increase and places a significant financial burden on government through tobacco-related health costs.
“The government is broke right now. We need to put more effort into tobacco control and increase how much we tax the industry.” Odirile said the government could generate significant revenue through tobacco taxation, given the high demand for tobacco products and the serious health risks associated with their use. He further said tobacco control measures are necessary to protect public health while also reducing the economic burden tobacco places on government. Meanwhile ATN recognises that the recent change of government and competing national priorities have contributed to the delay. However, the civil society has emphasized that investing in tobacco control will save the government significant funds otherwise spent on expensive medications for non-communicable diseases.
Clean Air Botswana project: Fast-Tracking Tobacco Control Regulations for a Healthier Generation is an initiative aiming to build informed political and institutional support for adopting tobacco control regulations to enable full implementation of the Tobacco Control Act and seeks to increase understanding of the Act’s provisions and the urgent need to fast-track enforcement. Under the new Act, critical areas of tobacco control, including licensing tobacco products which are currently sold widely, even in homes and near schools are covered.
The Act bans smoking in public and enclosed spaces to protect the public, especially children and workers, from harmful tobacco smoke. In addition, the Act prohibits retailers from displaying cigarettes and bans sales to or by persons under 21 years of age and mandates graphic health warnings on tobacco packages and, importantly, classifies e-cigarettes as tobacco products. Although the Act was passed in October 2021, the subsidiary regulations that define compliance and enforcement mechanisms remain unfinalised.
Following ATN sensitising on six councils - Moshupa, Good Hope, Jwaneng, Mabutsane, Tsabong, and Kweneng on the Tobacco Control Act’s provisions, Odirile said the government should consider increasing tobacco taxes instead of placing higher taxes on food and other products that are not harmful to people’s health. He further called for measures to make tobacco products less accessible, particularly to young people, as tobacco use continues to increase and places a significant financial burden on government through tobacco-related health costs.
“The government is broke right now. We need to put more effort into tobacco control and increase how much we tax the industry.” Odirile said the government could generate significant revenue through tobacco taxation, given the high demand for tobacco products and the serious health risks associated with their use. He further said tobacco control measures are necessary to protect public health while also reducing the economic burden tobacco places on government. Meanwhile ATN recognises that the recent change of government and competing national priorities have contributed to the delay. However, the civil society has emphasized that investing in tobacco control will save the government significant funds otherwise spent on expensive medications for non-communicable diseases.
Clean Air Botswana project: Fast-Tracking Tobacco Control Regulations for a Healthier Generation is an initiative aiming to build informed political and institutional support for adopting tobacco control regulations to enable full implementation of the Tobacco Control Act and seeks to increase understanding of the Act’s provisions and the urgent need to fast-track enforcement. Under the new Act, critical areas of tobacco control, including licensing tobacco products which are currently sold widely, even in homes and near schools are covered.
The Act bans smoking in public and enclosed spaces to protect the public, especially children and workers, from harmful tobacco smoke. In addition, the Act prohibits retailers from displaying cigarettes and bans sales to or by persons under 21 years of age and mandates graphic health warnings on tobacco packages and, importantly, classifies e-cigarettes as tobacco products. Although the Act was passed in October 2021, the subsidiary regulations that define compliance and enforcement mechanisms remain unfinalised.
