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CSOs task govt to increase taxes on tobacco products
Kololo SSS students listen to one of the facilitators during the World No tobacco day at their school in Kampala on May31, 2024. PHOTO | SYLIVIA KATUSHABE
What you need to know:
World No Tobacco Day was commemorated under the theme: Protecting children from tobacco industry interference
As Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate World No Tobacco Day, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) together with concerned citizens have tasked the government to increase taxes on tobacco to reduce its consumption among young people.
Ms Robinah Kaitiritimba the Executive Director of Uganda National Health Users’/Consumers’ Organisation (UNHCO) said that if taxes are increased, young people will not be able to afford them.
In an interaction with Kalolo SSS students in Kampala on May 31, she suggested the tobacco tax be raised to 70 percent of the global standard in order to eradicate tobacco use in the country.
"The idea is that if you tax tobacco more, it will become more expensive, and young people won't be able to afford it. In addition, we want to make sure there are no young people who are just starting. We want those who smoke to stop," Ms Kaitiritimba said.
World No Tobacco Day was commemorated under the theme: Protecting children from tobacco industry interference.
In commemoration of the day, UNHCO and other stakeholders launched the Uganda Tobacco Industry Interference Index Report 2023.
According to the index Uganda Customs, Currency, and Airport Tax regulations still allow international travellers to bring 200 sticks of cigarettes or 250 gm into the country duty-free.
According to their findings, out of 20 schools in Kampala, 10 of them have tobacco points near them, allowing young people easy access to tobacco.
"This is illegal because these points of sale should not be close to schools. Schools should prohibit tobacco sales within 50 meters of their promises. The consumption of tobacco by young people is on the rise," Ms Kaitiritimba stated.
Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023 indicates that 11 percent of children ages 13-14 smoke.
Globally, at least 37 million young people aged 13–15 years use tobacco, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr Hafsa Lukwata Assistant Commissioner of Mental Health, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Ministry of Health said that Uganda has registered a great decline in tobacco usage among young people from 17.5 percent in 2018 to 11 percent in 2023.
“It was a significant reduction and there was quite a lot that changed in there, even in the questions. They (young people) were asked whether they had seen advertising, it had reduced, whether they had seen people smoking on the streets and they were like, it had reduced. So it is a marked improvement in the prevalence of young people,” Dr Lukwata said.
She noted, however, that both young and adult tobacco users still require increased advocacy.
She explained that on such a day, they use the opportunity as a platform to inform everyone that tobacco is dangerous to their health in all its forms and should be able to eliminate it.
“These young people asked us to ban tobacco and I am very hopeful that they will be able to ban it in this country during their time, not us adults,” Dr Lukwata said.
