LAST week Senate passed the smoking control bill which had dragged on for more than two years. The bill was first tabled in parliament in June 2010, by Dr. Richard Sezibera, the then Health Minister, seeking to restrict smoking in public places, among other things. The house passed the bill unanimously.
The bill is timely and will help check the vice of public smoking, which not only endangers the health of smokers but also puts non-smokers at risk of contracting diseases associated with passive smoking. Documented health research shows that smoking is a health hazard for smokers and non-smokers who innocently become victims of passive smoking. Lung cancer has been linked to tobacco smoking.
Even at the national level, the health problems as a result of smoking take a toll on a country's labour force leading to low productivity. Smoking in public is unacceptable and many countries have moved to make this habit costly for those who do it. However it has a challenge of enforcement. Unless there are streamlined enforcement measures, implementation of the bill will be a big challenge.
The anti-smoking bill prohibits smoking in public areas like; office buildings, court premises, factories, cinema halls, theatres, hospitals, clinics, restaurants, hotels and bars among other places. There is a general consensus that public smoking should be stumped out but the success will depend on the enforcement mechanisms.
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