http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/country/zambia.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/index.php/politics/3228-re-define-tobacco-board-of-zambia-state-urged http://tobacco.org/news/332840.html THE Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) has appealed to government to redefine the role of the Tobacco Board of Zambia in line with the changing trends in the tobacco industry. ZACA executive director Muyunda Illilonga said government should revolutionize the role of the Board in the country and come up with a programme that will promote diversification by small-scale farmers who are involved in tobacco cultivation. “As a consumer body, we think it is high time government looked at the role of Tobacco Board of Zambia. As Zambia has become a party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, government needs to change the role of the board to promote diversification”, he said. He said tobacco is not a crop of the future because of the growing global pressure against governments to stop the cultivation of the crop which is also a source of revenue for many governments. Zambia Daily Mail Zambia Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.zambianwatchdog.com/?p=21493&cpage=1 http://tobacco.org/news/325010.html “Smoking is a risk factor for tuberculosis infection and for the development of pulmonary tuberculosis. Passive smoking, especially among children, accelerates the development of active TB. The potency of drugs is highly reduced in a smoker”, says Dr Peter Chungulo, a tuberculosis expert at the University of Zambia School of Medicine. Zambia’s efforts at curbing indiscriminate smoking to protect public health are threatened to stall because of a strong direct and indirect influence by pro-tobacco advocates, according to tobacco control advocates and health officials. In addition to several consultative meetings last December between the tobacco industry and health authorities, up to eight officials from different tobacco companies participated in drafting the Tobacco Products Control Bill of 2010, contrary to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to which Zambia is party, the treaty prohibits such a level consultation with the tobacco industry. According to anti-tobacco lobbyists, tobacco industry officials dominated the legislative process to formulate what would be contained in certain parts of the document currently undergoing review with the Justice Ministry. Some anti-tobacco lobbyists who questioned this development were convinced that industry officials were taking over the meeting to skew the new law in their favour. “What was the essence of allowing such a high level of participation of the tobacco industry in a process which should result in major restrictions in their activities”, says Chitindi of the Tobacco Free Association of Zambia. . . . The fact that Zambia is still entangled in actively running a huge tobacco industry and trying to fulfil demands of an international treaty means that both government and the tobacco industry are set to cooperate with each otherfor some time to come. The Ministry of Health has successfully established a tobacco focal office and passed a law on curbing environmental tobacco smoke, but not much has been done to meet benchmarks of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, such as increasing taxation on cigarettes and demand reduction strategies. . . . In 2009, the then minister of agriculture and renowned medical doctor who is also one of the longest former serving ministers of health, Brian Chituwo called for a leap of tobacco production from 30million to 100 million kilograms o per annum. Allegedly outnumbered and overpowered by British American Tobacco officials from Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, anti-tobacco lobbyists could not defend critical clauses of the draft bill such as on the creation of smoking rooms in public places. Zambian Watchdog Zambia Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=12&id=1157695744 http://tobacco.org/news/320315.html ABOUT US$22.5 million has been raised from the sale of 11,571,161 kilogrammes of tobacco on the Lusaka floors between March and September 7. This is according to sales records obtained from the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ) offices yesterday. Times of Zambia times@zamtel.zm ([item undated] Business Reporter) Zambia Sun, 22 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://tobaccoreporter.com/home.php?id=498&art=4551 http://tobacco.org/news/318911.html A Malawian court has convicted 124 tobacco growers from the district of Mchinji for attempting to smuggle tobacco to neighboring Zambia, according to a story by Charles Kufa for the Nyasa Times. The 124 were among a group of 170 growers arrested on Wednesday last week as they tried to cross the border. Tobacco Reporter Malawi Zambia Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=13&id=1298315185 http://tobacco.org/news/315566.html THE Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) has urged Government not to allow flavoured cigarettes in Zambia because young people will be attracted to smoking. Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka recently, ATCA team leader Rachel Kitonyo said the campaign against flavoured cigarettes is not aimed at forcing companies dealing in tobacco to stop operating, but to discourage them from adding flavours because they are addictive. “Tobacco industries have started adding flavours, which include chocolate, vanilla, mint, strawberry, cherry, peach and grape to attract people," Ms Kitonyo said. She said guidelines number nine and 10 in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which prohibits the flavouring of cigarettes with ingredients that will appeal to young people, should be implemented by FCTC member countries, including Zambia. Zambia Daily Mail Zambia Wed, 23 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=12&id=1298016384 http://tobacco.org/news/315396.html THE African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has urged leaders in the region to engage in comprehensive consultation before taking decisions that are harmful for the protection of public health. ATCA delegation leader Rachel Kitonyo said promotion of crops like sunflower, sesame, groundnuts, rice, soya beans, and chili which have been identified and piloted in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi should be supported by all political leaders in the COMESA region. Speaking during a Media conference in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Kitonyo said tobacco trade was in its sunset's years and that countries that were reliant on tobacco production would be better saved by focusing on alternative crops. Times of Zambia times@zamtel.zm (Business Reporter) Zambia Sun, 20 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=17995 http://tobacco.org/news/314782.html TOBACCO has continued to be a crop of economic importance to Eastern Province, according to the Tobacco Board of Zambia. During the Eastern Fodya Association of Zambia (EFAZ) annual general meeting at Pine View Guest House, TBZ chief executive officer Aven Muvwende said tobacco was a source of employment for more than 50,000 people. He said jobs in the tobacco industry were not only for farmers but also for input suppliers, extension workers, workers in tobacco companies, regulatory institutions, transport, energy and communication sectors. Zambia Post webmaster@postzambia.com (Christopher Miti in Chipata) Zambia Mon, 07 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=18&id=1292369709 http://tobacco.org/news/312371.html THE draft Tobacco Control Bill will help Government curb imports of flavoured cigarettes, National Tobacco Control focal point person John Mayeya has said. Mr Mayeya, who is also a mental health specialist in the Ministry of Health, said Government is against tobacco imports which are harmful, especially to the youths, who risk being addicted to flavoured cigarettes. He said this on Monday at Chainama Hotel in an interview in Lusaka at a two-day consensus meeting on the Tobacco Control Bill. The meeting has attracted stakeholders from the tobacco industry and those from the health sector. . . . Mr Mayeya said the bill once put in place will help address the fragmented legislation on tobacco, adding that tobacco small-scale farmers have since started calling for research on alternative crops to replace tobacco. The Tobacco Free Association of Zambia (TOFAZA) executive director Brenda Chitindi, in a separate interview, said TOFAZA’s involvement in the formulation of the Tobacco Control Bill is timely. And British American Tobacco Zambia (BAT) human resources and corporate affairs manager Muzyamba Chibbabbuka said the bill is welcome. Zambia Daily Mail Zambia Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://zambianchronicle.com/?p=6655 http://tobacco.org/news/310211.html ZAMBIA has sold tobacco valued at US$98.9 million to international markets during the 2010 tobacco marketing season. And over 450,000 jobs in the tobacco industry may be lost if tobacco production and trade are stopped. Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives Eustarckio Kazonga said tobacco is a source of employment for more than 450,000 people and is contributing significantly to the national treasury through tax revenue. Dr Kazonga said Government is worried over the anti tobacco spirit that is mushrooming in the region in which most of the countries rely on tobacco for their economies. . . . Dr Kazonga was speaking at a breakfast meeting for high commissioners and ambassadors accredited to Zambia at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka yesterday. He said a ban on a crop such as burley without taking into considering the rights of farmers would be a serious upset for burley tobacco farming communities and livelihoods in the country. Zambian Chronicle [Microplus Holdings International, Inc., TX] Zambia Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=all&id=1274425049 http://tobacco.org/news/301775.html EASTERN Fodya Association of Zambia (EFAZ) has predicted a tobacco bumper harvest in Zozwe area Vubwi Constituency. EFAZ Zozwe floor manager Edward Zimba said the association was overwhelmed with the flow of tobacco that the farmers were taking to the shed. Mr Zimba was speaking when Provincial minister Isaac Banda, Local Government and Housing Minister Eustarckio Kazonga and Chadiza District commissioner Peter Nyirenda toured the tobacco shed in Vubwi Constituency on the border with Malawi and Mozambique. Times of Zambia times@zamtel.zm Zambia Fri, 21 May 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=all&id=1274085117 http://tobacco.org/news/301774.html ZAMBIA has produced a total of 30 million kilogrammes of tobacco valued at about US$64 million, Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Allan Mbewe has said. And the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ) has slashed by more than 50 per cent, the floor laying charges for tobacco farmers who keep their crop in warehouses, to help reduce costs incurred by the farmers. Times of Zambia times@zamtel.zm (Business Reporter) Zambia Mon, 17 May 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=12&id=1274085117 http://tobacco.org/news/301583.html ZAMBIA has produced a total of 30 million kilogrammes of tobacco valued at about US$64 million, Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Allan Mbewe has said. And the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ) has slashed by more than 50 per cent, the floor laying charges for tobacco farmers who keep their crop in warehouses, to help reduce costs incurred by the farmers. Times of Zambia times@zamtel.zm (Business Reporter) Zambia Mon, 17 May 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=15&id=1268291381 http://tobacco.org/news/298313.html BRITISH American Tobacco (BAT) Zambia Plc says illegal trade in cigarettes is still a challenge for the industry. And BAT recorded an increased turnover of K235.9 billion last year from K203 billion in 2008. BAT finance director Benedict Mwila said this in summary results for the year ended December 31, 2009. Mr Mwila says illicit trade, mainly from neighbouring countries, still remains a problem for the cigarette industry. He, however, says positive strides have been made by stakeholders to address the concern. Zambia Daily Mail Zambia Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=12&id=1264147986 http://tobacco.org/news/295932.html TOBACCO farmers should be careful not to deal with companies that are not genuine, Eastern Province Minister Isaac Banda has said. Mr Banda said in Chipata that he was disappointed that tobacco farmers had continued losing colossal sums of money in shoddy transactions with buyers with undefined backgrounds. His comments came in the wake of complaints by some farmers who had not received their payments from a company that bought their produce last year. Times of Zambia times@zamtel.zm ([item undated] JULIUS PHIRIV) Zambia Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=12&id=1257140095 http://tobacco.org/news/292013.html THE Government has warned farmers, merchants and firms exporting raw tobacco of stringent action if they do not regulate themselves. Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said the Government would take action on any company exporting unprocessed tobacco if they do not begin to regulate themselves. “So we call on you for self-regulation to ensure that you do not export unprocessed tobacco. Let us not export to Malawi and Zimbabwe unprocessed tobacco. Let us do the processing in Zambia,” he said. His Ministry would be discussing with the ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives on the measures the Government would take on those exporting unprocessed tobacco. Times of Zambia times@zamtel.zm ([item undated] Business Reporter) Zambia Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT