Namibia: Enforcement of Tobacco Act Coming

Existing agencies and institutions such as local municipalities and the police, enforcement officers and civil society will all play a vital role at every stage of the implementation and enforcement of smoke-free air laws, says Deputy Health Minister, Petrina Haingura.

Speaking at a training workshop on the enforcement of the Tobacco Products Control Act, Haingura said that according to the 2008 Namibia Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 31 per cent of students currently use tobacco products. According to the Deputy Health Minister, this evidence makes a compelling case for the implementation of the Tobacco Act.

The training workshop which started last Tuesday and ended two days later, aimed to provide the participants with knowledge on the Act and to train them on the enforcement tools which include inspections, penalties, litigation and reporting obligations.Also present was Dr Magda Rubalo, World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative for Namibia, who said that legislation such as the Tobacco Act is based on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This is the world's first public health treay under the WHO, and requires all member states to protect their populations from exposure to tobacco smoke.

Participants at the workshop represented various Government Ministries such as health, defense, labour, safety and security, information, and works and transport. Public institutions such as the Polytechnic of Namibia and the City of Windhoek, as well as a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were also represented.