Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:14 hours 43 min ago
Health Minister sheds light on smoking situation in T&T
Published: 21 Oct 2009
Health Minister Jerry Narace says tobacco is one of the most serious public health threats in T&T. He said so while presenting the Tobacco Control Bill 2009 in the Senate yesterday. “The tobacco epidemic, as it is referred to by the World Health Organisation (WHO), has penetrated T&T and now constitutes not only a public health problem but also a societal problem in our country,” Narace told legislators. He said more deaths were caused each year by tobacco than by tuberculosis, Aids and malaria combined. “In T&T, smoking is indeed an epidemic, as it is directly related with the region’s biggest killer, chronic non-communicable diseases,” Narace stressed. He said the bill could help protect families from the destructive nature of disease and death and preserve the workforce. Narace gave statistics to show that one in every 18 students were smoking in T&T.
He said the average of someone smoking his first cigarette was 12 years. He said the most favourite place where cigarettes were often smoked was at the individual’s home. Narace said his Government was committed to initiate smoking-cessation programmes in T&T. He said a smoking-cessation committee already has been established and is pursuing the establishment of a smoke–cessation service. “Not only will we prevent future generations from smoking, Mr President, but we will also help current smokers quit,” Narace added. He said Clause 19 (1) of the bill provides that no person shall initiate, produce, publish, engage or participate in any tobacco advertising, promotion or sponsorship. He added that Clause 19 (2) of the bill allowed for limited advertising. Narace said the legislation is strongly supported by the medical community and many NGO’s (Non-Government Organisations) and interest groups in T&T.
He said the bill was the first legislative step to prevent hundreds of thousands of lives from disease, disability and premature death, as a result of the direct and indirect effects of tobacco.
According to Narace, the legislation has seven major objectives:
• To prevent tobacco use by children;
• to regulate tobacco by individuals;
• to enhance public awareness of the hazards of tobacco use and ensure that individuals are provided with information to make fully informed decisions about using tobacco;
• to protect individuals from exposure to tobacco smoke;
• to prohibit and restrict tobacco promotional practices;
• to prevent smuggling of tobacco; and,
• to provide for other related matters.
More Info
Narace quoted a ten-year community survey by the St James Cardiovascular Survey which showed that current smokers comprised:
• 39.4 per cent men of African descent;
• 46.1 per cent men of East Indian descent;
• 39.9 per cent men of mixed descent; and,
• 36 per cent men of European descent.
Heavy smoking (more than 20 cigarettes a day):
• 17.1 per cent men of African descent;
• 23.9 per cent men of East Indian descent;
• 17.2 per cent men of mixed descent; and,
• 26.3 per cent men of European descent
Narace said, “Current women smokers comprised less than 10 per cent and heavy smokers comprised less than two per cent, except in European women.”
Thanks for the statistics.
Thanks for the statistics. Has the government re-drafted the bill from the 28 July 2009 version, which had some unworkable, draconian penalties?
I looked on the TT Parliament website, but the latest draft is not available yet. See http://www.ttparliament.org/publications.php?mid=28&id=545
While the statistics are useful, the changes to the First Reading draft are more important to the public. Did the Minister state what those were?
One of the most common
One of the most common reasons why people turn to crutches like tobacco, alcohol and other drugs is to help them deal with stress and frustration.
This Government is guilty of sins of commission and omission in the creation and/or non-alleviation of conditions that lead citizens to have to resort to the use of such toxic substanes that injure their health. Government can't be a nanny to citizens, but must play some sort of regulatory and facilitative role.
The Government needs to tackle some of these underlying social causes in a holistic manner. Almost every aspect of daily life is unnecessarily stressful and frustrating. A few basic examples would illustrate: commuting to work, school etc; road hogs and road rage and lack of enforcement of the law; getting or fetching some water; making ends meeet; job insecurity and job losses; crime and fear of crime; getting basic medical attention; dealing with the trauma of flooding; helplessness in dealing with widespread nepotism, squandermania, megalomania and corruption; questionable magistrates' decisions and so many other situations.
As with so many vices, you cannot only deal with the symptons but you need to deal with the causes. No sticking plaster will cure the problem. Address the demand side of the equation together with the supply side.
People don't start smoking
People don't start smoking because they are frustrated, they usually start smoking at a young age because they think it makes them cool, because they are young and stupid. As they get older they can't stop because they're addicted. I hope those new laws are fully enforced!!(but I have serious doubts that they will be)
Smoking is one of the most disgusting habits that I know of, I hope those smokers are charged at least $20,000 or 6 months in prison when caught smoking in a public place, hopefully this will deter them from inflicting their stinky habit on non smokers.
Thank you; you are
Thank you; you are absolutely correct to a point. I didn't mean that this was what caused them all to start smoking. That's why I suggested that stress and frustration was ONE of the most common reasons why people smoke & drink more or resort to other substances. I have often seen individuals in the home or the workplace or in traffic for that matter, reach for a cigarette and (or a drink) the moment they have to deal with a problem, real or perceived.
Minister Narace, it's good
Minister Narace, it's good to see that, finally, this government has decided to come on board with the rest of the civilised world to deal with the vice of cigarette smaoking and its health effects on our people and our 'struggling' health care system.
While you are working on stats, etc. I do hope that you are reviewing the progress made in countries such as the U.K. and Canada to see how they have dealth with their problems and the advances made to date. Ontario has a very rigid programme, and they too are working on the problem of children who indulge in this vice. Even second hand smoke is very toxic to persons who do not smoke.
According to "The Prince" while you are looking at dealing with this problem, you must also look at the root causes of smoking. Stress works wonders on the human psyche - humans are drawn to vices in their attempt to cope with what life has thrown at them on a daily basis: And our people have had more than their fair share of unnecessary problems.
Remember that when you take away one vice you have to replace it with something of value to fill the void created.
Passing legislation is but just the first step, in a very long and complicated process. And I do hope that we will not rest on our butts and feel confident that we have laws on the books to cope with this problem, and simply walk away.
You have increased the taxes on Smokes and even though I have not seen the penalties recommended to be imposed, may I recommend that all monies collected must go directly into educational programmes for prevention and rehabilitation as these are not cheap. It is beneficial for a country to rid its people of the vice of smoking. Will be following your progress ...
(Yes, Edmund I will check our the link you have provided.)
Gardenia
Gardenia, I was happy to see
Gardenia, I was happy to see what you had to say complemented my own observation to lend some balance. I agree that the Government (and your minister Narace/Dr Naresh) should be complimented in bringing this draft legislation before the House. This is one of the few positive steps on the road to 20/20.
I had a quick browse through the links kindly provided by the two other bloggerss and I find the bill quite comprehensive. I suspect it was modelled on legislation from developed countries. In the UK, for instance, I believe they phased in bans on smoking in public places a couple years ago, and if I'm not mistaken you are not allowed to smoke in your own home in areas where people like health visitors, workmen and cleaners and nannies might be working at the time. But this is just a vague recollection that needs further investigation. I gather they are even contemplating bans in certain open public spaces.
I see that the bill was amended to ensure that such restrictions do not apply to domestic buildings. I notice from the amendment that private homes are exempt from the provisions. In view of the fact that T&T is now constructing many apartment-type buildings, would the common areas of such buildings like entrances, corridors, stairways/elevators etc be classified as public areas? There is a general provision to classify any other area not specified, which possibly was intended to cover such situations.
But this is a good move. Decades ago US cigarette packaging had to carry a Surgeon General warning and this type of warning has recently spread to other countries. Tobacco companies have now targeted third world countries with free samples. The strategy is to get them hooked on the nicotine so they become addicted and make up for losses in the developed countries.
It has been proven that tobacco like alcohol has many deleterious effects on health. A few readily come to mind: lung cancer, throat cancer, clogged arteries, organ disease (heart, kidney, bladder), impotence, infertility, pregnancy/child-birth problems, respiratory afflictions, cardiovascular deterioration leading to heart attacks, kidney failure, amputation etc etc. These diseases also cause severe social and economic costs to the individual, the family and the State. We already have sufficient industrial pollution to last a lifetime. And if we proceed with aluminium smelters, it's going to get worse.
One area I would like Government to pay attention to is pollution from motor vehicles. Often you drive behind cars or trucks which spew and belch thick black smoke; you have to wonder whether they are using green wood as fuel. There should be standards that set maximum levels of carbon monoxide exhaust emissions which should be tested regularly with meters as part of vehicle inspection. Seeing that the Environment would be high on the CHOGM agenda, Gov't could start with this initiative.
Not too long ago Manning came back from some conference (CHOM<, Uganda??) and he sounded as if it was the first time that he was hearing about environmental issues like global warming, climate change, carbon foot print, green house gases, ozone holes etc. Where was he all this time since Kyoto, Rio and now Copenhagen? Checking out executive jets and building tall buildings, sources of more pollution?
I heading to the Centre of
I heading to the Centre of Excellence on Saturday. They have a hypnotizer man who could stop you from smoking for just $200.00. Government should keep this guy here in TnT for a full month and stop everyone from smoking. But ah now studying, if everyone stop smoking, Witco go buss an the Government will get less taxes. And dey might raise house tax to 5%. Ah so confuse right now.
Such lazy reporting..a
Such lazy reporting..a little research please.