PREZ MILLS URGED TO PASS DRAFT TOBACCO CONTROL BILL

The New Crusading Guide
March 2009
By Anna Claudia Duker

The Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Development [VALD], Mr. Issah Ali has urged President John Evans Atta Mills to strongly recommend to his office to facilitate the process of presenting the Draft National Tobacco Control Bill to Parliament for passage into law, in order to help protect the health of the children, pregnant women and vulnerable groups in the country.
He mentioned that, Ghana approved the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control [FCTC], an international tobacco control treaty on November 29 2004 with an objective to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.
Mr. Ali also disclosed that the Draft National Tobacco Control Bill was developed to bring under control the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control but unfortunately the draft bill was yet to be approved by Cabinet and presented to the Parliament for debate and approval.
He noted that tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke kills close to five million people every year according to the World Health Organisation [WHO], saying that the figure was projected to increase to 10 million deaths annually by 2030 and 70 percent from developing countries including Ghana if tobacco control measures were not adopted.
He added that tobacco harmed public health as it had, scientifically been linked to dreadful diseases such as cancer, heart diseases and asthma. The Executive Director also emphasized that tobacco had been linked to psychosocial disorder, miscarriage, and infertility in women and men.
He continued that tobacco was risk factor for low birth weight and mental retardation among children. The VALD congratulated President Mills on the occasion of his election as the President of the Republic of Ghana and Dr. George Sipa-Adja Yanker for being sworn-in as the Minister of Health. ‘We are highly optimistic that your government would work extensively to improve the health and to alleviate poverty in accordance with the provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.” He Stated.