More than 3,700 people died from Smoking last year

The use of tobacco is the cause of many deaths each year in Cameroon and an obstacle to the development of the country.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 3,700 people died year last as a result of smoking.

With the aim of reducing the consumption rate, a multi sectoral consultation for advocacy which plans to engage everyone to organize his space on tobacco control took place in Yaoundé.

This meeting chaired by the Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, brought together several members of administrations and civil society leading a greater struggle against the consumption of tobacco.

Several measures were examined in order to reduce and control the consumption of tobacco. Namely: monitor the said consumption and prevention policies, protect people from tobacco smoke, offering assistance to those who want to quit smoking, warn against the dangers of smoking, enforce the prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and finally increase taxes on tobacco.

By so doing, concrete measures are already visible in several administrations and public places while awaiting the adoption of a tobacco control law in Cameroon. To this end, the Minister of Social Affairs, through a circular dating 2014, banned the consumption of tobacco in its central and decentralized services.

This was same for Minesup and Minesec which also prohibited the consumption and the sale of tobacco to minors as well as in schools and universities. The prefect of the Mezam in the same order prohibited the consumption of tobacco in public places in Bamenda.

“I am satisfied because I know that each administration has understood the importance of the approach and the need to preserve our generation against the harmful effects of smoking. For this purpose, we want the media to be selective on advertising by prohibiting the promotion of a tobacco product, concluded the MOH.