Govt moves for smoke-free environment

While the policy had started at some ministries, it will be expanded to cover, "wherever there are Government employees," Rahael said.

Visible no smoking signs will also be placed at strategic locations to remind of the policy.

Legislation is also being prepared which will ban smoking in all public places, including restaurants. This was disclosed by the minister at a media briefing at the ministry’s Park Street office.

Rahael said the introduction of the "smoke-free" policy was part of a "pre-legislative step" as evidence suggested that tobacco control legislation had stiff opposition "where the truth of tobacco and health is not understood by the people." The World Health Organisation has advised that countries embark on comprehensive education about tobacco and tobacco issues to create the climate for legislation to succeed. The ministry has been using advertisements and is developing a communication progamme.

Rahael announced that a draft Tobacco Bill has been prepared by the office of the Attorney General. It covers measures related to reducing demand and supply of tobacco, and protection of the environment. Asked to comment further on the Bill, he said price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco and to protect people from exposure to smoke would be introduced.

Rahael said the law would require the tobacco companies to give full disclosure of all the harmful effects of smoking. In addition, 30 percent of the packaging must state the effects of smoking tobacco. While tobacco companies have complied with the ministry’s request to desist from promoting tobacco products and sponsoring activities, Rahael said it would be in law.

TT is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which became international law in June 2003, when the 40th country signed the convention.

TT Cancer Society chairman Dr George Laquis said the FCTC was critical to the region since countries have shown a rising epidemic of smoking, particularly among youths.

He warned that countries could be faced with increasing numbers of smoking-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and chronic obstructive lung disease, and adverse effects on pregnancy. Laquis said TT must provide leadership in continued efforts to control tobacco and participate fully in regional and global efforts to develop effective smoking control programmes. Dr Michelle Monteil, senior lecturer in Immunology at the University of the West Indies’ Faculty of Medical Sciences, illustrated the impact of second-hand smoke on children. She provided the findings of a survey done at 120 primary schools in 2002. The survey sought to find out if there were any wheezing, sinus (rhinitis), and severe forms of these symptoms in children. Parents were also asked if they or other residents in the home smoked in the last 12 months.

Of the more than 3,000 responses, 30 percent of children had parents who smoked (most were men) while 20 percent had another resident in the home who smoked. Children in homes where parents smoked were 1.4 times more likely to have wheezing, twice as likely to have exercise-induced wheezing, 1.6 times to have night-time coughing and 1.2 times likely to be diagnosed with asthma. Monteil said second-hand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke, exposed children to more than 60 cancer-causing substances and increased their risk of respiratory infections, ear infections, asthma-worsened nasal and eye problems.