By Julius Muhumuza
Uganda took a historic stand for public health with the passage of the Tobacco Control Act (TCA) in 2015. The law was a bold promise to protect young people and the wider public from the predatory marketing practices of the tobacco industry. Yet nearly a decade later, recent monitoring in Kiryadongo and Kitgum districts exposes a disturbing truth: at the point of sale, the law is not merely being ignored—it is being deliberately undermined.
The Illegal “Showcase” at the Counter
Walk into almost any supermarket or fuel station today and you are likely to encounter a neatly arranged wall of cigarette packs placed directly behind the cashier. To many, this may appear to be normal retail practice. Under Ugandan law, however, it is a criminal offence.
Section 16(3) of the Tobacco Control Act is unequivocal: tobacco products must not be visible to the public. They are only permitted to be seen at the moment of sale and must otherwise be stored in closed, non-visible cabinets or under the counter. Open display amounts to point-of-sale advertising—an outlawed tactic that normalizes tobacco use and fuels impulse purchases, particularly among young people.
By maintaining these visible “showcases,” retailers are not passively breaking the law; they are actively participating in a marketing strategy long known to recruit new users.
Deceptive Packaging: Marketing in Disguise
The subversion does not end with product placement. Field monitors have documented a growing presence of attractive and deceptive cigarette packaging—packs featuring bright colours, sleek designs, and premium branding that disguise the deadly nature of the product.
This practice violates Section 15 of the Tobacco Control Act and Regulation 5 of the Tobacco Control Regulations of 2019, which prohibit the use of colours, imagery, or symbols that create misleading impressions about the risks of tobacco use. Packaging that resembles a fashion accessory or luxury item defeats the very purpose of tobacco regulation. Cigarette packs are meant to warn and inform, not to entice and charm.
A Pattern of Legal Breaches
The violations observed reflect a systematic disregard for Uganda’s tobacco control framework:
- Point-of-Sale Display (TCA Sections 14 & 16): Total prohibition of visible tobacco products; storage must be out of sight.
- Price Lists (Regulation 16(2)): Prices must not be displayed publicly and may only be shown to a buyer upon request.
- Packaging Design (TCA Section 15): Ban on deceptive colours and imagery likely to mislead consumers about health risks.
These are not technical oversights. They represent a coordinated erosion of the law’s intent.
A Call to Action: Enforcement or Failure?
The continued undermining of the Tobacco Control Act by retailers and distributors is no accident. It is a calculated effort to preserve “business as usual” at the expense of Ugandan lives. The Tobacco Industry Monitoring (TIM) Team has verified these violations, and the legal provisions are clear.
What is missing is enforcement.
Authorities must move decisively from policy to action. This means:
- Immediate inspections of supermarkets and fuel stations in Kiryadongo, Kitgum, and across the country.
- Firm penalties for retailers who flout the law, without exception.
- Public education to make it unmistakably clear that displaying tobacco products is advertising—and advertising tobacco is illegal.
Uganda already has strong tobacco control laws. What remains is the political will to enforce them. Our communities should not pay the price for a tobacco industry that refuses to respect the rules meant to protect public health.
