TOBACCO was adopted from Aztecs by the Spaniards when, in the 16th century, European and American Indian civilisations clashed with each other in the territory now known as Mexico.  Tobacco was used by the Aztec priesthood in their religious ceremonies, but was never used by ordinary folk. When the  Europeans adopted it, it quickly spread over the European continent and became fashionable with all classes.  However, a small number of people felt misgivings about it, including King James I of England, who in the 17th century wrote a pamphlet against tobacco.

Despite this strong underground of opposition, tobacco use continued to expand, partly because of the universal ignorance of its health dangers and partly because various influential interests were making fortunes out of it.  In the 20th century, the role of champions of the tobacco industry was assumed by  the rich and  powerful multinational tobacco companies who tried to crush all opposition.  The anti-tobacco lobby had also grown stronger and had started winning victories in the courts against the tobacco industry and those multinational tobacco companies.

By the end of World War II, the toxic nature of cigarettes was widely publicised and a growing percentage of people  in the developed countries knew of its dangers.  Cigarettes had 70 most dangerous toxins, including nicotine, which causes addiction;  Hydrogen cyanide;  Formaldehyde;  Lead;  Arsenic;  Ammonia;  Polonium-210;  Benzene;  Carbon Monoxide together with hundreds of chemicals.

Many serious and terminal ailments could be traced to tobacco use, including lung cancer,  Heart diseases,  destroying teeth and mouth cancer,  impotence,  loss of appetite,  lowering energy levels,  loss of memory.  The lives of tobacco users are shortened by several years and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over \seven million people die each year from cigarette smoking.  Other negative social effects of tobacco use are that it costs the state millions of dollars to pay for the hospitalisation for ailments due to tobacco use and lowers the national workforce’s productivity.

In Guyana, it is only within the last two decades that the movement towards  anti-tobacco legislation   
saw success.  When Dr Leslie Ramsammy became Minister of Health, he brought creativity to that office which was unique.  He brought modernity to the health services with innovations such as free prescriptions, Free AIDS treatment, a cancer clinic with radiation treatment and other modernities.  He was a committed crusader against tobacco since he was acutely aware of the sufferings it brought to individuals, their families and society as a whole.  He did an enormous amount of educational work which enlightened the public of the dangers of tobacco use and led the struggle for anti-tobacco legislation against the powerful multinational British American Tobacco (BAT) and their local allies.  The main arguments the pro-tobacco lobby used were ‘Upholding Freedom of Choice’ and the severe loss of Government revenue that would occur if  tobacco use were curtailed.  Dr Ramsammy went out of office before his draft legislation could be made statute which only occurred in 2017 under the name, ‘Tobacco Control Act.’

The responsibility for enforcing and implementing the Act were placed  with the National Tobacco Control Council which operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Health.  The Act controls several activities relating to the tobacco industry and we will touch on the three most important of them which are Packaging; Marketing;  and Control of Secondary Smoke:

Tobacco and cigarette packaging cannot carry any form of advertising and 60 percent of the surface of cigarette boxes or other wrapping must carry health warnings against the use of tobacco and pictorial illustrations of the effects  of tobacco-induced illnesses.  The tobacco companies mounted their strongest opposition against this requirement and were successful in delaying its acceptance and implementation for a few years. With regard to marketing, the Act bans all forms of advertising, sponsorship and promotion of tobacco products.  Cigarettes could not be sold individually but must be sold by the box and no person 18 years of age or under should be sold tobacco. E-cigarettes are also controlled.  Secondary smoking, which is being placed in a position where one is forced to inhale the exhalations of others, has been comprehensively addressed – 100% smoke-free environments were prescribed for all indoor public  spaces, indoor work spaces, public transportation, and specified conditions indoor spaces.

When the Act came into being, it was enthusiastically implemented, but in the last year or two, infringements have been growing, such as the resurgence of hookah bars and the clandestine advertising and selling of tobacco products to minors.  With the National Tobacco Control Council and the Ministry of Health becoming once again proactive, satisfactory tobacco control could quickly come into being.