Tobacco standard and regulatory legislation need to be effectuated

By Pat Dial
A FEW months ago this column carried an article on the dangers of tobacco consumption and called for the resuscitation of the modern tobacco regulatory legislation which had been prepared when Dr Leslie Ramsammy was Minister of Health.  We also called for the quick adoption of the Tobacco Standard proposed by the Bureau of Standards.

The Standard being proposed by the Bureau of Standards is the Caribbean Regional Standard and deals with the labelling of tobacco products.
Consumer advocates were therefore happy to see  one of the national newspapers of a few days ago carrying an entire middle page with banner headlines mentioning the dangers of tobacco use and indicating that a Tobacco Regulatory Bill would soon be introduced in Parliament.  The newspaper report mentioned that both the Minister of Public Health and the Minister within the Public Health Ministry were both enthusiastic promoters of the Bill.
We have not been able so far to peruse the Bill in its present form but we are quite confident that it would be modern legislation and would not differ much from the Bill the Ministry of Health was proposing a few years ago.
Tobacco is one of the greatest killers in the world and millions of people die a premature death because of tobacco use.  Among the many ailments and sicknesses which tobacco use causes are emphysema which is the swelling of the lung tracts, thus restricting the inflow of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide;  lung cancer;  stomach ulcers caused by the reduction of resistance to the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers;  osteoporosis caused by the restriction of oxygen into the blood;  deformed sperm causing new-born children to have bodily deformities;  and of course heart disease of many kinds.  The onset of the effects of these and other diseases caused by tobacco use come on gradually and when they are recognized or discovered, it is often too late.
In the Developed Countries, tobacco use has been steadily decreasing and thus the tobacco companies have been turning their attention to promoting their products in the Third World, especially among the young and with much success. In Guyana, tobacco use seems to be rising if one judges by the increases in tobacco sales  of the tobacco company and by the frequency with which one encounters smuggled tobacco products being vended on the streets and in some small shops.  Accordingly, both the tabling and passing of the Tobacco Regulatory Bill  and the adoption of the Tobacco Standard should be done with immediacy.
The Standard adopted by the Bureau of Standards is the Caribbean Regional Standard for labelling as already mentioned.  This Standard gives actual graphic art-work with warnings further elucidating the graphics.  There are 42 such graphic warnings with suggestions of how they could be rotated.
These graphic warnings vividly cover tobacco-related ailments such as premature aging, mouth cancer, still births, gangrene, strokes and lung cancer.  These graphic warnings are to be placed on cigarette boxes and other containers of tobacco products.
Tobacco companies have a record of using their vast resources to oppose such legislation and warnings and the tobacco company which controls Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) is British-American, one of world’s biggest multi-nationals.  We do not forsee any of the opposition which occurred in other countries since Guyana is very late in passing such legislation.
Mrs Amanda Cavill de Zavaley, the recent Chairman of DEMTOCO, indicated as much when she was replying to the question of a shareholder at an Annual General Meeting of the Company. The shareholder asked how would the Company respond to the growing anti-tobacco campaigns and anti-tobacco legislation.  She replied that the Company has dealt with similar issues in other countries and would be able to absorb such effects and take corrective action.
The Ministry of Education would do well to introduce some basic information of the dangers of smoking tobacco and other dangerous substances as a small module in any of the relevant courses being taught at both the primary and secondary levels.  Also, the issue of children smoking should be introduced at parent-teachers meetings.
The Guyana Consumers Association will formally ask the relevant authorities to expedite the tobacco regulatory legislation and the adoption of the Standard.
(GCA’s email: patdial26@gmail.com)