Minister knocks DEMTOCO over Tobacco control stance

Aug 05, 2017 News, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....acco-control-stance/

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence said yesterday none of the 65 legislators felt the Tobacco Control Bill needed scrutiny by a Parliamentary Special Select Committee.
The embattled Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) this week claimed the Bill is draconian and should be sent to the parliamentary body for softening.
“It is apposite to note that none of the 65 legislators called for the Bill to go to a Special Select Committee,” as demanded by DEMTOCO, Lawrence noted. The Bill was passed in the National Assembly last week and now awaits assent by President David Granger.
Lawrence reminded that the Bill does not ban smoking, but rather, regulates where persons can smoke tobacco products in order to protect others from exposure to dangerous secondhand smoke.
“The Bill also does not ban the sale of tobacco products (and) does not provide for designated smoking areas in restaurants and bars,” Lawrence clarified.
She recalled that Guyana has joined its Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sister countries Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and Suriname by passing tobacco control legislation to safeguard the health of present and future generations from the devastating health and socio-economic effects of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.
Guyana’s Tobacco Control Bill 2017 was passed by the National Assembly on 27th July, 2017, and awaits the President’s signature to become law.
The Ministry of Public Health believes that the implementation of the Tobacco Control Bill will significantly reduce the number of lives ravished by the death, disease and disability that the tobacco epidemic brings, and will lead to future generations being tobacco-free. The Government of Guyana also expends billions of dollars on public health care every year to treat non-communicable diseases.
“The Bill is a much needed and long-overdue measure. Tobacco use is the one risk factor that is common to four major classes of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs); those are cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. These deleterious health effects are not just felt by the smoker, but by those who inhale secondhand smoke.
“You know when we think of smoking, we think of cancer alone, and smoking does cause every type of cancer you can think of, but smoking also damages blood vessels and can result in strokes and heart attacks, and increases the chances of amputations and blindness in diabetes sufferers,” the Minister said.
The Tobacco Control Bill does not ban smoking, but rather, regulates where persons can smoke tobacco products in order to protect others from exposure to dangerous secondhand smoke. The Bill will prohibit smoking in indoor workplaces, indoor public places, public transportation, and in any vehicle transporting a minor. Smoking will also not be allowed in some outdoor spaces as specified in the Bill, including the premises of health, educational, child -care and sports facilities, and in parks and playgrounds.
The Bill provides for a maximum fine of $10,000 for a person who smokes in a place where smoking is prohibited. Where the person commits the offence a subsequent time, the maximum fine is $20,000.No imprisonment is prescribed for the offence.
The Minister further explained that “In many instances a person’s home can become a workplace where, for example, they open a daycare or after-school lessons there. When a home becomes a workplace, it becomes captured within the definition of workplace, and the workers, children and students will all benefit from the protection intended by the laws. And remember, smoking will be prohibited in indoor workplaces so the home with employees who work outside, like guards and gardeners, is not affected by the laws.”
The Bill also does not ban the sale of tobacco products. It provides that the only places where the sale of tobacco products will be banned are on the premises of health facilities, educational facilities, sports and recreational facilities, and government buildings.
“Vendors will be able to continue to ply their trade in the markets and on the streets.”
The Minister explained. “But we don’t want vendors to walk around selling tobacco products, we want them to be in a stationary location so that we can ensure that they are not selling to children, marketing cigarettes, or selling cigarettes that are not packaged and labelled in accordance with the law.”
The Minister reassured that “We do not intend to implement the laws tomorrow; we intend to meet with the vendors and to educate them and make sure they fully understand how to comply the laws. We just need them to understand the laws came about because we don’t want our young people to pick up this deadly habit. We have to care about our future generations.”
The Tobacco Control Bill does not provide for designated smoking areas in restaurants and bars. The Minister explained that “Designated smoking areas run counter to public health interests. Workers will be required to clean and serve patrons in designated smoking areas. We cannot protect some workers and not others. In many instances, bartenders and waiters don’t want to be exposed to secondhand smoke but they endure in order to make a living. The Tobacco Control Bill gives a voice to those voiceless workers.”
“The tobacco industry wants to talk about taxes, but what monetary value do we attach to every human life lost, to every father who dies prematurely and leaves his children without his love and financial support? CARICOM countries that rely heavily on tourism and entertainment have chosen to put the health and wellbeing of their people above unsubstantiated claims of economic fall-out by the tobacco industry. Why should we do less?” Lawrence asked.

Minister knocks DEMTOCO over Tobacco control stance

Aug 05, 2017 News, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....acco-control-stance/

“The tobacco industry wants to talk about taxes, but what monetary value do we attach to every human life lost, to every father who dies prematurely and leaves his children without his love and financial support? CARICOM countries that rely heavily on tourism and entertainment have chosen to put the health and wellbeing of their people above unsubstantiated claims of economic fall-out by the tobacco industry. Why should we do less?” Lawrence asked.

Excellent approach on this legislation.

I do not smoke but is considered a second hand smoker. This is indeed an excellent piece of legislation by the government.  The PM does not have anything to do with this.

Demerara_Guy posted:

Minister knocks DEMTOCO over Tobacco control stance

Aug 05, 2017 News, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....acco-control-stance/

Senior Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence

What a woman?

Looks like Rama has the hots for Volda.

You have to admit that she is looking goooood.

Rama should write Volda a letter to tell her that he is available if she ever comes on the market as a single woman.