Tuesday, November 4, 2008

GOVERNMENT MUST DEFEND TOBACCO CONVENTION

GOVERNMENT MUST DEFEND TOBACCO CONVENTION
Ghanaian Voice
October 1, 2008
By: Erica A. Addo

An NGO – Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), which aims at enhancing education on Tobacco control and health issues together, has called on Government to protect the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) from Tobacco industry's interference.

This call is one of the many actions taking worldwide to challenge interference by Tobacco giants in the implementation of the global tobacco treaty, which is officially known as the world health Organization Framework Convection on Tobacco Control. (WHO FCTC)

This was contained in a press release signed by Mr. Musah Labram, Programmers Director of VALD.

He noted that tobacco industries interference poses the single greatest threat tobacco control adding that here in Ghana; the British American Tobacco Ghana (BAT) was aggressively promoting its deadly products, while trying to subvert strong public health policies

"We aim to advance the implementation of the global tobacco treaty and reinforce the courageous work of Ghana Health Service and Food and Drug Board who stood up against the tobacco giant".

Mr. Labram pointed out that tobacco kills 5.4 million people around the world each year, including Ghana.

The death toll is projected to rise to eight million a year by 2030, with 80 percent of those deaths occurring in the development counties. He added

He also lamented that Ghana is one of the 160 countries who have ratified the global tobacco treaty, which now protects nearly 85% of the world's peoples.

He added that WHO estimates that broad implementation of that could save 200 million lives by the year 2050.

Mr. Issah Ali, a tobacco control advocate also added that time has come for Ghana to pass the Draft Tobacco control Bill into Law.

He emphasized that specific guidelines on how article 5.3 should be implemented will be up for approval when ratifying countries gather for the 3rd enforcement meeting on the treaty this November in Durban, South Africa.

Proposals in the draft guidelines includes keeping the tobacco industry out of tobacco control bodies such as FCTC delegation, prohibiting government partnership or collaboration with tobacco industry and requiring that the tobacco industry will be transparent about its activities as well as operations.

BAN TOBACCO PROMOTION MoH and FDB urged

BAN TOBACCO PROMOTION MoH and FDB urged
Daily Graphic
September 29, 2008
By: Musah Yahaya Jafaru

The Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a non-governmental organization (NGO), has appealed to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) to develop "appropriate" policies to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in the country.

It said the proposed policies should consider the maximum protection of minors, women and vulnerable groups from "false and misleading messages".

A press statement issued by VALD said the policies should, in addition, ban indirect advertising and ensure the participation of civil society in reporting its implementation and violation.

According to the statement, the tobacco industry's internal documents stated that "to maintain its profit margin and customers, the youth and children must be recruited into smoking".

It quoted a scientific editor and professor at the University of Minnesota, Professor Barbara Loken, as saying that "there is now incontrovertible evidence that the marketing of tobacco promotes youth smoking and can cause young people to begin smoking".

Besides, it said, a report, "Tobacco Marketing promotes Youth Smoking" released by the National Cancer Institute of the United States concluded that tobacco advertising targeted the psychological needs of adolescents, such as popularity and peer acceptance.

The report stated that brief exposure to tobacco advertising influenced adolescents' perceptions of smoking, smokers and adolescent' intentions to smoke.

The statement quoted the programmes Director of VALD, Mr. Labram Musah Massawudu, as saying that for some years now, and even last year during the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr, some tobacco marketing companies organized rap and dance competition and jams at night for the young ones, ranging between the ages 10 and 25, at Maamobi and other surrounding communities to climax the celebration.

He said the organization of the events violated Article 13 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which called for a comprehensive ban of tobacco advertising sponsorship and promotion and stated, "Prohibit the use of false, misleading and deceptive messages and tactics to recruit minors to into smoking."

"These are the tactics the industries are using in Ghana and other countries to mislead the young ones to smoke," Mr. Massawudu was quoted as saying.

The statement said a walk through most of the streets in Accra, including Nima, Maamobi, Kanda, Ridge and other communities, showed evidence of posters of cigarettes on walls, trees and shops close to schools.

NGO calls for ban on tobacco advertisements

NGO calls for ban on tobacco advertisements
Ghana News Agency (GNA)
Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Accra, Sept. 10, GNA-Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a Non-Governmental Organization which aims at enhancing education on tobacco control and health issues has called on the Ministry of Health and the Foods and Drugs Board to institute measures to ban tobacco advertisements in the country.

A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday and signed by its Programmes Director, Mr. Labran M. Massawudu said the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which was ratified by Ghana in June 2004, and deposited at the United Nations Headquarters in November, 2004, became an international law on February 2005, was being violated by tobacco industries in the country. It said international tobacco companies, knowing that the international tobacco control treaty was in force continued with tobacco advertisements, promotion and sponsorship targeting the youth and poor communities.

"If you tour most of the streets in town including Nima, Maamobi, Kanda, Ridge and other deprived communities, you will see posters and umbrella of Pall Mall, Gold Seal and Capital Cigarettes pasted on walls, trees, and shops close to school." He added that, the messages are directed and attractive to children and the youth and that the vehicles of the companies sometimes patrol the schools day in and day out which does not augur well for smooth learning. It said last year, during the Eid-il Fitr celebration Gold Seal and Capital Cigarettes collaborated to organize a rap and dance competition for the youth at Maamobi to climax the festival.

The statement therefore advised the youth not to entertain such rap and dance, shows this year since the events are a violation of the article 13 of the FCTC Law.The statement calls on the government therefore to take the necessary steps in accordance with the constitution of Ghana to ensure that the appropriate policies are developed to implement a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertisement, promotion and sponsorship.

Source:GNA