Erongo governor Nathalia |Goagoses has called on businesses selling tobacco products to find other ways of generating income instead of relying on tobacco sales.
She made the call on Monday at the national public consultation on proposed amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Act No 1 of 2010 at Swakopmund.
The governor said stronger laws are needed to protect children and young people from tobacco and nicotine products, which she said were increasingly available in communities.
She said the problem was not only the responsibility of parents, but also adults and businesses that make these products available to children.
“Now our children are targeted by the adults, by the business community,” |Goagoses said, calling for stronger laws to deal with businesses that contribute to the problem.
She also called for law enforcement to be given stronger powers to prosecute those who cause harm to young people and for offenders to face tough sentences.
“Let us strengthen our laws and immediately take on these adults, these businesses that are destroying our young people,” she said.
The governor said tobacco use should not be viewed in isolation, pointing to the growing availability of products such as electronic cigarettes, vaping products, hookah and other nicotine products.
Her comments come as Namibia reviews its tobacco-control legislation more than a decade after the current act was enacted.
|Goagoses said legislation alone will not be enough.
She called for cooperation between the government, regional and local authorities, traditional leaders, businesses, schools, families and communities to protect young people from nicotine addiction.
“Let us go deep into ourselves and do something different this time around.”
Committee chairperson Joseph Shapumba says the law was last amended in 2010 and that the rise of tobacco and nicotine products had created a need to review the legislation.
“We saw the need to come to the public to consult and hear the views on how to better the Tobacco Amendment Act to a superb document that is accommodating the needs of the public,” Shapumba says.
He says the consultation was intended to ensure that the amended law reflects the views of the public and could serve as a document that other countries could use as a benchmark.
The existing Tobacco Products Control Act prohibits the sale or supply of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18. Retailers are also required to display a notice stating that tobacco products cannot legally be sold to people under 18.
A person who sells or supplies tobacco products to someone under 18 can face a fine of up to N$100 000, imprisonment of up to five years or both under the current law.
However, the tobacco and nicotine market has changed significantly since the law was passed.
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) latest information on Namibia shows that nearly 18% of pupils aged 13 to 17 use a tobacco product, while 23% use electronic cigarettes. Almost 9% of learners in the same age group currently smoke cigarettes.
WHO has also reported that tobacco use remains a major public health concern in Namibia, with tobacco-related diseases contributing to significant illness and deaths.
The proposed amendments seek to close gaps in the existing legislation and strengthen the regulation of newer tobacco and nicotine products.
The public consultation is expected to give stakeholders an opportunity to raise concerns and make recommendations before the proposed amendments are finalised.
