Jump to full article: All-Africa.com, 2007-06-14
Author: Surihe Gaomas Windhoek / New Era (Windhoek)
Intro: Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, officially expressed Namibia's support for 'World No Tobacco Day', in Windhoek this week.
This year's commemoration, which seeks to spread information globally on the dangers of tobacco use and why tobacco smoking is a public health priority, is held under the theme: 'Smoke-Free Environments.'
"Making work and public places 100 percent smoke-free inside will keep the bodies in these places smoke-free inside too. Thus, I wish to urge the Namibian nation to claim their right to be 100 percent smoke-free inside primarily for the promotion of good health," said Kamwi. . . .
Statistics compiled in 2000 in Namibia indicate a smoking prevalence of over 45 percent. In that year, 30 males per 100 000 died of trachea, lung and bronchus cancer, representing a mortality rate of 25.5 percent. The same year (2000) saw 96 males per 100 000 die of lip, oral cavity and pharynx cancer. . . .
The Tobacco Bill was first drafted between 1992 and 1993 and was tabled in parliament in 2005. The Bill has not yet been passed by parliament.
Once the Tobacco Control Act is passed, it will ban smoking in public places, which is blamed for deaths and diseases such as cancers, tuberculosis and stillbirths.
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