By LUCY ANAYA- COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, KENYA TOBACCO CONTROL ALLIANCE

According to the East African business dated September 20-26  2010, 

 The story headlined, ‘Comesa to petition UN on WHO tobacco ban ‘ was alarming.

It detailed on how the common market for Eastern and Southern African is opposed WHO attempts to push through a ban of ingredients used in producing blended tobacco.

Comesa argues that implementing the WHO guidelines would mean a loss of livelihood for tobacco growers who have no alternatives.

At the recently concluded 14^th Summit of comesa in Swaziland, member countries resolved to petition the UN at the upcoming UN General Assembly to audit the millennium Development Goals in New York.

They went ahead to Urge bigger economies of the bloc e.g Egypt, Libya and Kenya to influence opinion to overturn the ban.

The reaction by comesa comes at a time, Guidelines 9 and 10 of WHO’s Frame work Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) recommend a ban on laboratory-produced tobacco ingredients.

Comesa countries which include: Angola, Burundi, Comoros. DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibout, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Eritrea, Seychelles, Rwanda, Swaziland, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe need to be reminded that WHO is an agency of the United Nations with its own internationally agreed mandates that can never be overruled.

FCT being the 1^st international public health treaty was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic. It reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standards of health.

It remains the cornerstone in the global fight against the tobacco epidemic which has left many African countries impoverished as a result of spending billions treating diseases related to tobacco.

There is a Provision in the FCTC that support economically viable alternative activities.  Tobacco farmers are urged to find alternative crops that do not cause health effects. In Kenya, some tobacco farmers e.g in Migori have discarded the crop in favor of passion fruits, water melon, soya beans, sun flowers etc.

The argument that tobacco is a big revenue earner for the Government is based on wrong assumption and far from the truth. Health experts world over warn that the ultimate health and environment bills are more than three (3) times what the tobacco industry gives in taxes. Otherwise, tobacco-growing countries, like Malawi and Bangladesh would have some wealth to boast of. These two countries are among the poorest in the world.

Statistics indicate that 70 per cent of the population in Malawi grows tobacco. 700,000 farmers involved in tobacco cultivation. Uganda has 70,000 farmers  and Zimbabwe has 55,000. Tobacco growing areas remains the poorest of the poor in any given country. Academic performance is below the standard, children have to miss school to help their parents to work on the farm. Farmers mortgage their farms where they could grow subsistence crops, mortgage their effort and intellectual prowess to produce crop for very unreliable returns.

Tobacco remains a health and social concern everywhere in the world. Kenya being no exceptionally.  Globally, it is responsible for the death of 5 million people each year. 10 people die every minute as a result of tobacco.

For a long time, the industry has repeatedly peddled lies that the harmful effects of tobacco are not proven. Such lies only exist in third World countries where poverty creates an avenue for business that claims to be legal though not safe.

Tobacco affects the entire body of the user, it logs arteries and veins, cuts off oxygen supply, causes gangrene may result to (Buerger's Disease). It also causes impotence, heart attacks and strokes. Brain damage and kidney complications.

In Kenya, tobacco victims have come up to narrate to the world their agony. There are those with amputated limps, throat cancers, damaged lungs e.t.c all caused by tobacco growing, use and exposure.

 Study reveals that 90% of all lung cancers are due to tobacco smoking. It further causes emphysema, bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory diseases.

Tobacco damages the heart and blood vessels, causes narrowing and blockage of blood vessels to vital organs such as the heart,.

The health of a significant percentage of the world's youth is seriously threatened by the deadly tobacco products. Nicotine ( a drug in tobacco) is six times addictive than cocaine or heroin. 7 out of 10 smokers start the habit while they are still teenagers.

Smoke doesn't just harm the smoker only it harms everyone who breathes it.

Tobacco poses a great threat to environment. It causes deforestation- cutting of wood for curing tobacco, clearing large trucks of forest land for planting the crop, use of stronger chemicals and pesticides-dangerous to the soil, causes decline in soil fertility. Tobacco does not mix with other crops.

Air pollution- constant fire outbreaks during curing period destroys. Tobacco seedlings are prepared along the riverbank causes hence causes water pollution,, this is a threat to aquatic life. In our cities, the littering of cigarettes butts and polythene papers wrapped on cigarettes packets is a nuisance.

Socially, exposure to second hand smoke at family level and public causes diseases. Misplaced family budgetary priorities at expense of school fees, good health care, proper diet. It causes bad smell which may lead to isolation hence stress and depression.

The spread of the tobacco epidemic is facilitated through a variety of complex factors with cross-border effects one being trade liberalization and direct foreign investment.

Once more comesa countries should be reminded that the objective of FCTC:  is to protect present and future generation from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco use and exposure.

Tobacco is imposed on people, the industry gives very little to the governments plus diseases. There would be no business unrest if the industry closes down because this small fraction will be absorbed in other sectors.

In Kenya for instance, there are only about 2% of those in any employment who are employed in the tobacco industry, including contracted farmers.

ENDS…../