The STAR 19/8/2009

The ban on smoking in public places will be rolled out to ten major towns by October. So far only Nairobi, Eldoret, and Nakuru are implementing the anti- smoking law, which took

effect in July last year.
A public health ministry official yesterday said the Government was laying ground for the full implementation of the Tobacco Control Act.
“So far we have sensitized officers from the ministry of Public  Health, those from respective local authorities and security officers as part of preparations for the full

enforcement of the law,” Said Ibrahim Longomoi, the Tobacco Control Enforcement coordinator.
Longomoi was speaking in Eldoret, where his ministry and Institute of Legal Affairs are training government officers who will be involved in the implementation plan.
He was accompanied by ILA chief executive Racheal Kitonyo and programs officer Vincent Kimosop.
The training programme has been carried out in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nyeri, Machakos, Eldoret, Nakuru and Embu.
Longomoi said that authorities are facing challenges with advertisements and establishment of smoking zones in towns.
Kitonyo said ILA was supporting government to ensure the anti-smoking policy is effectively implemented to help control consumption of tobacco products, which is increasing in

Kenya.
According to Government, about 23 per cent of the population consumes tobacco products.
She said the problem was serious in Kenya because 18.2 per cent of girls and a similar per centage of boys smoke cigarettes, which are now easily smuggled to schools.
“We are now involved the Institute of  Education in helping to reshape the education curriculum so that the anti-tobacco campaigns among the youth take root as a long term

measure,” Kitonyo said
She said cases of lung cancer caused by consumption of tobacco are on the rise and young people aged below 15 years have also become victims.
The programme officer said many young people are dying early because of drug abuse including smoking tobacco.
Longomoi advised public entertainment places in urban areas to set up smoking zones before the government moves in to implement the provisions of the new law.
Once the act is fully implemented, he said, those who will be found defying the laws will be arrested and prosecuted.
A major public awareness campaign will be launched soon.