http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/country/uganda.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/regional-special/Batu_loses_Shs4_billion_case_to_tobacco_growers_67560.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/268045.html Over 3,000 tobacco farmers from mid western Uganda have won a landmark case in which they demanded over Shs3.8 billion from BAT Uganda Limited (Batu) as compensation for tobacco grown in 2004 which the latter refused to buy. Commercial Court Judge, Egonda Ntende in his judgment delivered last week, agreed with the arguments of the farmers that Batu was liable to compensate the complainants for the tobacco they grew on contract. “I am satisfied that the farmers grew the tobacco in accordance with their contract and the law and delivered the same to Batu,” Justice Ntende’s judgement reads in part. “But the tobacco company, for reasons that have not been explained in this case, declined to complete the process Monitor Uganda Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/459/634251 http://tobacco.org/news/267183.html I wish to draw attention to the damage tobacco growing has caused to the environment in West Nile, the North, Bunyoro and south-western Uganda. Several acres of woodland have been felled for flue-cured tobacco production in Maracha, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Hoima, and Masindi districts. Forests that would otherwise have filtered carbon emissions and protected arable land from erosion are removed, and temperatures in the tobacco-growing districts are rising. Firms like British American Tobacco, Leaf Tobacco and Commodity, as well as Continental, in their fallacy, give eucalyptus seedlings to farmers supposedly to replace chopped forests without considering the long maturity period and its impact on the water table. The tobacco firms do not plough back their high profits yet they hype their cosmetic social responsibility programmes. . . . The negative impact of tobacco growing includes the accumulation of chemical compounds in soils and declining fertility. Tobacco production negatively affects people's health. The effects include nicotine poisoning, pesticide exposure, respiratory effects, musculoskeletal and other injuries. The Government should assist tobacco growers in West Nile to produce alternative crops that thrive well there without fertilisers or pesticides. The sh48b the Government gets in tax revenues from tobacco exports and products should not shroud the negative effects on tobacco on the population. The New Vision Uganda Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/news.asp?ID=5860 http://tobacco.org/news/266863.html The Tobacco of Health Forum has criticised the British American Tobacco Uganda for putting pressure on government not to increase excise duty on tobacco in the 2008/2009 budget, basing on the failure by the government to curb tobacco smuggling. BAT Company Secretary, Isaac Ampeire said recently that it wouldn’t be good or fair for government to raise taxes on tobacco products, when the same government has failed to stop smuggling of tobacco into or out of the country. The Tobacco or Health Forum says this is an excuse by BAT to avoid the pending tax increase on tobacco products. UGPulse Uganda Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://allafrica.com/stories/200806021180.html http://tobacco.org/news/266480.html ANTI-smoking activists have urged the Government to enforce the law that prohibits smoking in public places. This, they said, will stop deaths and other ill-health related to tobacco consumption and exposure to second-hand smoke. Petitioning the Speaker of parliament over the increasing rate of smoking in the country, the Tobacco or Health Forum (TOH), a local anti-smoking association, last week decried the failure by concerned authorities to implement the 2004 legislation on smoking. . . . TOH chairperson Grace Ndyanabangi said the National Environmental Maintenance Authority, the Police and other government institutions had failed to enforce the law. This, she said, had contributed to a "dangerous increase in the rate of smoking especially among the youth". All-Africa.com Uganda Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/30/content_8285874.htm http://tobacco.org/news/266318.html As the world is set to mark World No-Tobacco Day on Saturday, anti-tobacco activists here on Friday demonstrated against cigarette advertising and the government's reluctance to enforce laws against public smoking. In a petition to Parliament Speaker Edward Ssekandi, the activists demanded that warnings on cigarette packets cover 50 percent of the principal display areas. The warnings should change from "Cigarette Smoking can be Harmful to your Health" to "Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease and death", the petition said. The activists joined by school children and medical workers marched to British American Tobacco Uganda, the country's biggest producer of cigarettes, and handed a memorandum to the company officials accusing the company of backtracking its social responsibility role. Xinhua Newswire Uganda Fri, 30 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/opinions/We_applaud_women_struggles_progress.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/266310.html Saturday Monitor of May 31 carried two stories on the same subject women, but on different issues - graduation and smoking. Mukono University: Women Trounce Men for First Class Degrees, goes the first headline. And as if in competition, another headline says: Girls Smoke As Much As Boys – Report. . . . First all, smoking is a health hazard. It is a practice which everybody must avoid. And at a time when women are beginning to take charge and lead at every level of society, including in passing exams, it is wrong for some women to confused themselves and ruin their future through consuming deadly substances in the name of seeking beauty. What is attraction, after all? Who benefits from one’s attraction? And didn’t I hear that “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” Another disadvantage of smoking is that it oftentimes leads to the destruction youth energy. . . . Building a future is the most important thing in life. It’s what everyone, women inclusive, must strive to accomplish. Anything else including the search for simple gratification by smoking, is temporal and counter- productive. Monitor Uganda Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/sunday_life/Budget_should_increase_tobacco_taxes.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/266307.html Yesterday was 31 May. “So what?” you may ask. Well, 31 May is a most important date as it is the World Health Organisation’s World No Tobacco Day. This marvellous festival of health traditionally allows the Roving Eye column to take a look at the tobacco issue. . . . The tobacco industry normally tries to defend itself in Uganda by pointing out that it is a “tax cow”. Thus in 2006/07 the Ugandan government generated Shs49.59bn in tobacco taxes. But, this is where it really becomes interesting. So, dear reader, without any intended rudeness on my part, please could I ask you to read the following sentence twice: Increasing tax on cigarettes will both increase Ugandan tax revenue and reduce Ugandan deaths and sickness . . . Ugandans suffer and die from malaria, from HIV/Aids and from much else. But there is no need for Ugandans to suffer and die from tobacco-related diseases. The most simple and effective way to stop this unnecessary suffering is to increase taxes on tobacco, thereby also increasing government revenue. Let’s hope the Minister of Finance, Dr Ezra Suruma, is listening to this genuine, heartfelt plea. Monitor kevin@imul.com (Kevin) Uganda Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/features/Girls_taking_to_smoking_as_much_as_boys-_study.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/266306.html Uganda will this Saturday mark the World No Tobacco Day with a theme, “Tobacco Free Youth”. It calls upon all countries to ban all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship which attracts youth to smoking. “Tobacco companies have long targeted the youth as ‘replacement smokers’ to take the place of those who quit or die. The industry knows that addicting youth is the only hope for the future,” reads the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2008. The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 1.8 billion young people between the age of 10-24 smoke cigarettes and more than 85 percent are found in developing countries like Uganda. . . . According to the just released 2007 Uganda Global Youth Tobacco Survey Report in which more than 4,000 students were interviewed, 15 percent said they had ever smoked cigarettes, 16 percent admitted using tobacco at the moment while 5.5 per cent were smoking cigarettes. These were adolescent students aged between 13 and 15 years in Senior One, Two and Three from 51 different schools across the country. According to the study report, girls are taking up smoking as much as the boys are. In Kampala alone, while 16 percent of the boys admitted to smoking, 14 percent of the girls also said they were smoking. Monitor Uganda Wed, 28 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/opinions/Govt_smoking_and_tax_revenues.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/266193.html Today is the WHO’s World No Tobacco Day. Smoking kills Ugandans through tobacco-related diseases such as cancer. But tobacco taxes also generate much money for the government– Shs49b in 2006/2007. However, Finance Minister Ezra Suruma faces no tough “money or life” choice in his June 12 budget speech. For the simple laws of supply and demand mean that he can have both more money and save more lives. Health activists, using a study that South African economist Corne van Walbeek undertook in Jamaica, a country of similar socio-economic level to Uganda, have projected that if Dr Suruma raises excise duty on cigarettes by just 20 percent, it will increase government revenue by Shs5b. . . . Uganda ratified the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in June 2007. The FCTC is the world’s first global public health treaty. . . . But of all these measures, it is the tax increase that is most effective. . . . Let 2008 be the year when Dr Suruma chooses to generate more revenue and save Ugandan lives by increasing tobacco taxes in the budget. Monitor Uganda Sat, 31 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Anti-tobacco_activists_want_20_per_cent_tax_increase_on_cigarettes.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/265102.html Anti-tobacco activists have called on the government to increase the excise duty on tobacco products by 20 per cent. It is expected that the increase in the tax on cigarettes will increase the retail price, which could reduce demand, despite nicotine being addictive. According to the activists, the 20 per cent increase in tobacco excise duty would also increase Ugandan tax revenue by an estimated Sh5.24 billion. The recommendation was made to the Minister of Finance, Dr Ezra Suruma, in a five page memorandum which was delivered to him on last Friday by members of Tobacco or Health Forum, an organisation fighting against tobacco use. Monitor online@monitor.co.ug (Grace Natabaalo) Uganda Sat, 10 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=a3C68vw9EEOs&refer=africa http://tobacco.org/news/264322.html Uganda's export earnings soared 40 percent last year on higher prices for most of the country's main commodities, the state-run Uganda Export Promotion Board said. . . . Income from tobacco more than doubled to $66.3 million last year, when British American Tobacco Uganda Ltd., the east African country's biggest producer, recorded its highest-ever output, the board said. Farmers contracted to BAT Uganda, a unit of British American Tobacco Plc, increased production in 2007 to 19,000 metric tons, from 12,700 tons a year earlier, the report said. Uganda produces mainly flue-cured tobacco, which is dried in heated barns. Bloomberg News abolleurs@bloomberg.net (Fred Ojambo) Uganda Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/220/623680 http://tobacco.org/news/263916.html BRITISH American Tobacco Uganda has introduced a new cigarette brand onto the local market. Pall Mall was launched at the Centenary Park in Kampala recently. James Mulwana, the chairman, presided over by the event. Mulwana lauded the company for continuously offering quality products. "BAT Uganda is among the top taxpayers contributing up to sh.46.6b in cigarette excise and VAT. "We are proud to introduce another brand that is value for money and will be meeting the demands of adult smokers in the market," Mulwana said. The New Vision Uganda Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/sports/Ouma_quits_smoking.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/262034.html UGANDAN professional boxer Kassim ‘The Dream’ Ouma is more than determined to get his career back on track with victory over American Cornelius Bundrage on Saturday. Ouma, who had all sorts of troubles in and outside the rig last year, revealed he has quit smoking and is purely a different fighter ahead of the bout. “Everybody knows he's (Bundrage) is a tough guy. But Kassim Ouma quit smoking a long time ago, so he won't be able to smell anything. That dog won't be able to smell,” Ouma told celebrated boxing journalist G. Leon. Monitor online@monitor.co.ug (SANDE BASHAIJA & AGENCIES) Uganda Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/business_power/Batu_returns_to_profitability.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/261709.html BRITISH American Tobacco Uganda is back to profitability after three years of persistent losses. The tobacco leaf exporter announced Shs6.1 billion profit after tax (Shs3.3 billion), in the 12 months to December 31, 2007 compared to a loss of Shs10.1 billion in 2006. Mr Isaac Ampeire, Batu’s company secretary attributed the growth to change in the company’s strategy to reshape its leaf business arm, which translated into growth of sales. “The new strategy focused on business re-modeling to optimise cost and increase competitiveness of our tobacco in the world export market,” Mr Ampeire said in a statement that accompanied the company’s full year results. Monitor Uganda Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.ugandaobserver.com/new/sports/sport200802287.php http://tobacco.org/news/260445.html The Court of Appeal last week dismissed an appeal against the ban on smoking in public places. The appeal filed by former British American Tobacco Controller, Joseph Erayu sought to argue that the ban on smoking violated his constitutional rights as a smoker and restricted his liberty and freedom of movement. But court unanimously found that Eryau's appeal had been overtaken and that the law banning smoking in public places was already in place. The Environment Action Network (TEAN) spokesperson, Philip Karugaba, is optimistic that the development will help in enforcing the law on smoking in public places. "We are obviously delighted by the result. Breathing second-hand smoke is like being punished for sins you did not commit. It exposes the non-smoker to the same deadly diseases as a smoker," Karugaba said in a statement. Weekly Observer ikiiza@ugandaobserver.com ( Irene Kiiza WEEKLY OBSERVER) Uganda Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:00:00 GMT