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Sierra Leone: Nation Intensifies Campaign On Tobacco Control 

As part of the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day 2011, there has been increased momentum in the campaign for tobacco control in Sierra Leone. The theme for this year's campaign is "The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control". The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty aims to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.

A press conference was held at WHO on 30 May 2011 to raise awareness on the theme of World No Tobacco Day. Speaking at the press conference, Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu said that "the fight against tobacco is a long walk but achievable", adding that efforts should not stop at commemoration of the day but should be a continuous engagement to prevent deaths from tobacco.

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Smokers contemplate proposed tobacco laws  

Some smokers say a proposed hike in the price of cigarettes would make them stop if it comes into force.

Government and civil society are pushing for stricter regulations on tobacco, including a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, and slapping on taxes in hopes that higher prices will discourage people from lighting up.

Trader, Musa Kamara, 26, said if the price of cigarettes increases, he hopes to quit smoking.

“I sometimes want to stop smoking, but because I am addicted to it, I find it difficult,” he said.

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Sierra Leone: Advocacy for Parliament to Legislate On Tobacco Use 

The ministry of health and sanitation, with technical support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), has concluded an advocacy meeting for parliamentarians on the Framework for Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cancer, lung diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Countries are passing legislation restricting tobacco advertising, and regulating who can buy and use tobacco products, and where people can smoke following the ratification of FCTC.

President Ernest Bai Koroma signed the WHO FCTC accession in 2009. However, the parliament did not ratify it to legislate and enforce implementation. Dr. Modupeh Cole, a physician specialist delivered a presentation on the effect of tobacco on health. Mrs. Aminata Grace Kobie, health promotion adviser from the WHO country office also presented on FCTC and second hand smoking.

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MOHS calls on Parliament to prohibit public smoking 

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation met with Parliamentarians and Civil Society Institutions yesterday at Committee Room #1 to open further discussions on the ratification of a law that will prohibit public smoking in the country.

The discussion was primarily geared towards enacting legislation that would frustrate public smoking considering the indisputable hazards that are attached to smoking generally.

Strings of tobacco related sicknesses were unraveled to Parliamentarians and Civil Society Organizations in a presentation by a health practitioner Dr. Modupeh Cole. It was pointed out that those sicknesses like oral cancer, cancer of the oesophagus, lower respiratory tract infection or pneumonia and bronchitis, coughing and wheezing, worsening of asthma and middle ear diseases are all linked to smoking.

It was further disclosed that Tobacco Manufacturing Industries use addictive contents such as nicotine to increase irresistible desire for smoking.

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In Sierra Leone, Health Minister Bans Smoking: 

The Acting Minister of Health and Sanitation, Mohamed Daudis Koroma, has declared the whole circumference of the Youyi Building in Freetown a non-smoking zone, in a campaign dubbed: "Tobacco Free Workplace Campaign".

The campaign was launched on Tuesday 22nd December 2009 by the Health and Sanitation Ministry, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Youyi Building, situated at Brookfields in Freetown, is hosting nearly all the government ministries.

In his opening remarks, the Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Alhassan Sesay, said one of the Ministry's key objectives is to ensure that the health of each and every individual in the country is sheltered. . . .

The Minister said a national tobacco control taskforce was established in 2008 as a response to the tobacco epidemic.

This taskforce, he continued, advocated strongly for Sierra Leone to be a signatory to the Frame Work Convention on Tobacco (FCTC). "The campaign is targeting people at workplaces with information and messages that must enable them learn about the dangers associated with tobacco consumption", the Minister disclosed, adding: "The campaign will also protect and reduce the number of people who are affected as a result of inhalation from those who smoke in workplaces".

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Tobacco kills over 5m People globally 

The World Health Organization in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation commemorated World No Tobacco Day on the 31st May, 2009 at Atlantic hall, National Stadium Freetown.

The programme was chaired by the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dao with the Minister of Health and Sanitation, and the Country Representative of the World Health Organization in attendance. The Chief Medical Officer in his statement noted that the purpose of the occasion was to act as a reminder of the health hazards in smoking tobacco. He presented statistics that over 5,000,000 people die globally as opposed to death rate for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, adding that 32% of men smoke tobacco and less than 1% for women.

In his speech, the country representative of the World Health Organisation Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu mentioned that tobacco is a leading preventable cause of death in the world.

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MPs agitate ban on cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking  

Whilst debating on the new National Drug Control Act 2008 last Thursday, some members of Parliament agitated for the banning of cigarette smoking in public places and also that of alcohol drinking.

The MPs argued that whilst penalties are being placed on drugs – like cocaine, heroine, morphine and marijuana – nicotine and alcohol should be included in the harmful list.

Hon Tamba Khagbenje of SLPP, the first of over twenty parliamentarians who contributed on the bill, posed the question of why cigarette smoking was left out of the bill.

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• Sierra Leone: 'Ban All Tobacco Advertising Now' 

On Saturday the world health agency joined local partners among them Youths Against Tobacco Smoking in Sierra Leone to process in observance of the World No Tobacco Day May 31.

National Coordinator Dr. Williams Ohaeri told Concord Times that it was disheartening to know that Sierra Leone remains the only country in the world that has neither signed nor ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty. . . .

"Half measures are not enough," said Dr Douglas Bettcher, Director of WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative added Dr Bettcher. "When one form of advertising is banned, the tobacco industry simply shifts its vast resources to another channel. We urge governments to impose a complete ban to break the tobacco marketing net," he said.

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WILLIAMS: Curbing the Menace of Cigarette 

It is disheartening to know that Sierra Leone remains the only country in the world that have neither signed nor ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty. . . .

Tobacco is a poison that has deprived our nation of a healthy workforce, depressed most households especially low-income ones basic necessities such as food, education and health care.

As in the words of Sir Edmund Burke "All that it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing." Tobacco is evil from every perspective, therefore the good people of Sierra Leone must do something to stop this evil called tobacco. Join the campaign against tobacco today.

--Dr. Williams Ohaeri is the national coordinator of Youths Against Tobacco Smoking (YATS) in Sierra Leone.

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• Celebrities Unite at Anti - Poverty Awards 

Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton and broadcaster Walter Cronkite joined forces Tuesday night to honor nine ''unsung heroes of poverty eradication.''

The celebrities were part of a star-studded ceremony at the United Nations honoring the winners of The Global Microentrepreneurship Awards. The nine poor and low-income winners -- from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Liberia, South Africa, India, China, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Peru -- used small loans to establish successful businesses. . . .

. . .

Perhaps the loudest applause was given to Mama Fatu, a 70-year-old widow from Sierra Leone who took out a $25 microcredit loan in 1998 to start grinding tobacco to produce snuff. She diversified into vegetable production, rice farming and brewing local gin.

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Female Smokers Face the Same Risks As Men 

The only psychiatrist in the country, Dr. Edward Nahim who is the head of the Kissy Mental Home has disclosed that both men and women smokers face similar risks of developing one or more of some twenty-four smoking related diseases.

He said most of those diseases are incurable and fatal including various forms of cancer as well as lung and circulatory diseases.

Dr. Nahim added that there are also health problems related to tobacco use, which are of special concern to women who smoke and take contraceptives.

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High Court Rules In Favor of Jagiko Over Cigarette Case 

The Freetown High Court No. 3, presided over by Honourable Justice Edmund K. Cowan on April, 26th, 2001, ruled in the matter between Jagiko enterprises, owned by a Fullah businessman, Lamrana Sow, and Kamtoko Africa trade Links, with Mustapha T. Koroma as proprietor.

After what seemed to be a long drawn legal battle in the High Court, the Presiding Judge, Justice A. B. Rashid, who deputised for Honourable E. K. Cowan, who is now Speaker of Parliament, ruled in favour of Jagiko Enterprises of 6, Lumley Street in Freetown.

The Court stipulated that Jagiko Enterprises with Mohamed Sow as proprietor, was the only recognised importer and sole distributor of Boss cigarette in the country.

Kamtoko Africa trade Links was ordered to pay costs to Jagiko for all expenses incurred during the long legal battle.

Kamtoko was also ordered to stop using the Boss Trade Mark as "Jagiko is the authorised agent and distributor of the product in Sierra Leone".

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Cigar Tycoon To Storm Capital 

diverse sources have intimated that Jagiko boss Guinea born tycoon Mohamed Pater Jalloh is putting finishing torches to plan to storm Freetown with a high power delegation. This delegation, according to our information will comprises prominent Guinean businessmen and Jagiko's banker from Monrovia.

If all is to go as planned the tycoon Mr. Mohamed Pater Jalloh intends to make contact and concrete arrangements with the Guinean government so that their government will initiate contract with the government of President Kabbah before their arrival here in Freetown. . .

In another but related development, unconfirmed report state that a forwarding and clearing house at Fourah Bay Road, Sayaba clearing have just cleared a container of cigarette for Jagiko enterprise. It is also rumored that custom officials connived with Jagiko enterprises in this latest deal.

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Hefei Cigarette Factory Exports Cigarettes to West Africa 

On December 19, 2000 Hefei Cigarette Factory held a ceremony for making the first shipment of cigarette exports to Sierra Leone in western Africa. The factory thus became the first in the tobacco sector of Anhui Province in east China to enter the world market.

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