By Mukembo Wilfred
The Tobacco Harm Reduction Uganda THRU, a non-governmental organisations championing for conducive safer alternative environment through constructive tobacco harm reduction advocacy and lobbying for a smoke free Uganda has urged government to reconsider the Tobacco control act and make amendments especially on the ban of the e- cigarette and other non-smoke alternatives.
It’s should be noted that the Tobacco Control Act put a total ban on the on importation, manufacture, distribution, processing, advertising, sale, offer for sale of e- cigarettes including nicotine and non-nicotine containing liquids among other substances.
However, Joel Sawa, the team leader at THRU says government should consider making available the proven Nicotine replacement therapy products for use to help the cigarette smokers stop the vice.
He added that smoking is a habit not a disease thus they must deal with the addicts to stop but this cannot be achieved in just a day or by simply forcing them to stop but rather put up alternatives that will lead them to quit with time.
In Uganda, according to Mulago National Referral hospital records, 75% of the Oral Cancer patients treated have had a history of tobacco use while the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa indicates that13500 Ugandans die annually due to tobacco related illness. But Joel says that adaptation of systems and policies that will favor Nicotine replacement therapy products and safer nicotine products like electronic cigarettes, nicotine poaches and hit not burn among products will help bring down the harm as it is the case with Sweden.
