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Smoking: The law they love to flout
2006-10-19 08:51:07
By Lydia Shekighenda
Smoking in public is prohibited by law to protect non-smokers but that law is violated with impunity in Dar es Salaam, according to a two week survey by The Guardian.
From bus stands, makeshift kiosks to five star hotels, Tobacco Products (Regulation) Act (2003), which prohibits smoking in public places, is flaunted routinely.
Smokers rule the day in public places, where they inhale their fags in total disregard to non smokers. This takes place in all parts of the city.
The violators of the law range from the common man to the police. In the spot check, some city residents were found smoking even at a police station!
And it is not only adults who smoke.
In the survey it was discovered a small section of primary and secondary school students also do smoke.
Smoking at institutions like health centres, schools and child care centres is common place though illegal. In hotels and pubs smoking is but a way of life.
According to a state attorney at the Attorney General’s Chambers, Eliezer Feleshi, Section 11 of the Act stipulates that smoking is prohibited at school grounds, healthcare centres, child-care centres and other facilities used by underage people.
”The law came into force on July 18, 2003 via government notice 159 of 2003,” he said.
Most of the interviewed city residents said they were not aware of the law.
We asked a public service vehicle driver, why he was smoking while driving.
”The laws are made to be violated. I can’t deny myself the leisure of smoking just because a non smoker is around me,” he said as he refused to identify himself.
World Health Organization (WHO) statistics indicate that a person dies every 10 seconds due to tobacco related health hazards.
According to WHO, by the year 2030, about ten million people will be dying globally every year due to tobacco related hazards. The majority of the sufferers will be from developing countries.
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