Agriculture

ANTI TOBACCO NETWORK

Discussions and Comments

  1. The need to explain what tobacco is when we make presentations and to relate tobacco related issues to alcohol use since the two go hand-in hand
    1. Tobacco plant is not the same as a cigarette – because a cigarette contains more substances (7000>)
    2. Pesticides used in growing tobacco – lead, sulphur
  2. The need for research on tobacco affiliated issues – It does not need to be done by university scholars, it can be done in villages and municipalities, and this workshop can be used as a baseline or reflection point in carrying out the research in clinics.
  3. Why dont we ban tobacco use totally in Botswana?
  4. The benefits of tobacco use –
    1. Employment – Is it a benefit?
      1. Tobacco has no benefits! – The scale between public health and trade. The bigger impact that tobacco use has in economies cannot be overlooked. A clear example is Malawi, a big tobacco producer but remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Money is channeled into health facilities to provide healthcare to or for people affected by cancers, and other non-communicable diseases caused by tobacco use.
    2. Are there any benefits of tobacco use to the smoker? – NO!!
  5. What the Health professionals are doing in their respective workplaces to address the CSA
    1. More emphasis is put on alcohol than tobacco in clinics unless a patient has TB or a cough
  6. The need for a Setswana version of the Control of Smoking Act (CSA)– because most people in underdeveloped rural settlements do not have a grasp on the english language
  7. Smoking in public places and at the workplace sections of the CSA need to be emphasized and implemented
  8. Prices of alcohol have been increased and alcohol consumption has not reduced – how will increasing taxes
    1. Tobacco is not manufactured in Botswana like alcohol therefore increases in taxes will reduce importation of tobacco into the country hence lessening consumption of tobacco in the country.
  9. The need to make the CSA more accessible or make it cheap (FREE) – Extract the CSA’s forestanding content and distribute IEC’s for free
  10. Collaborations with workplace Health and wellness committees
  11. Duty of persons to protect others from smoke
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Author: FACE OF MALAWI