UGANDA STRENGTHENS NO TOBACCO BILL

By Our Reporter

Members of Uganda National Tobacco Control Committee have signed a No Conflict-of-Interest Declaration aimed at safeguarding public health policies from interference by the tobacco industry.

The declaration was signed during a meeting held at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Kampala.

The National Tobacco Control Focal Point at the Ministry of Health, headed by Dr. Hafsa Lukwata, noted that the ministry has a responsibility to protect public health, noting that tobacco use remains a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases that claim many lives.

Dr. Lukwata explained that under the Tobacco Control Act of 2015, anyone involved in decision-making on tobacco control must declare their interests.

She warned that the tobacco industry often uses various strategies to influence policies that may restrict its operations.

Meanwhile Civil society representative on the National Tobacco Control Committee, Moses Talibita, said organizations involved in tobacco control continue to closely monitor the implementation of Sections 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, and 25 of the Tobacco Control Act.

Talibita emphasized that civil society organizations engaged in research and evidence generation for public policy must disclose whether they receive funding from the tobacco industry. He noted that such transparency is necessary to ensure that research used to influence policies—such as legislation, tax policy, or budget allocations—complies with Section 25(5) of the Act.

He added that the declaration is intended to protect public policies from tobacco industry influence, including preventing stakeholders from accepting any form of funding from tobacco companies.

Talibita also raised concerns about alleged violations of Section 23 of the Act, saying some tobacco industry players have reportedly been granted privileges to conduct tobacco business.

The Chairperson of the National Tobacco Control Committee and a health expert from the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr. Aggrey Ngobi Byansi, said the declaration establishes a requirement for public officers across all arms of government involved in tobacco policy formulation and enforcement to sign the document.

Dr. Ngobi urged government ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure that officers responsible for tobacco-related policies formally declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the tobacco industry.

He added that the committee remains committed to strengthening enforcement of the Tobacco Control Act and advancing tobacco control initiatives to protect the population.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Mwehonge, Executive Director of Health Promotion and Education for Sustainable Development (HEPS-Uganda) and host of the Tobacco Industry Interference Monitoring Team, said the declaration demonstrates the committee’s commitment to implementing the Tobacco Control Act.

Mwehonge said the move sends a strong message that committee members have no links to the tobacco industry and are committed to protecting public health through effective tobacco control measures.

Health experts say transparency and strict adherence to the Tobacco Control Act will play a key role in reducing tobacco-related illnesses and protecting public health in Uganda.

Uganda enacted strict tobacco control measures, notably the Tobacco Control Act of 2015, targeting a tobacco-free nation by 2060. The law prohibits smoking in public places, bans shisha, and restricts advertising, ranking Uganda high in policy enforcement. Recent focus is on protecting youth from emerging products like e-cigarettes. 

Uganda took a bold step in 2015 with the enactment of the Tobacco Control Act, one of the strongest laws in Africa. The Act prohibits the import, manufacture, distribution, processing, sale, offer for sale, or bringing into the country of electronic nicotine delivery systems, waterpipe tobacco delivery systems, smokeless or flavoured tobacco products. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) Uganda, over 17% of adolescents aged 13–15 have tried tobacco-related products, particularly flavored or smokeless variants. E-cigarettes, shisha, Kuber, and nicotine pouches are infiltrating our schools, hostels, and communities.

Tobacco harms nearly every organ of the body, causes over 20 types of cancer, and kills up to half of the users who don’t quit. All she thinks is, this is a cool party. This is the hidden danger our youth face today.

According to a study conducted by the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA), 13,000 people in Uganda die annually due to tobacco. Exposure to secondhand smoke is rampant among children with 19.7% (over 1.7 million) being exposed to tobacco smoke at home and 30% (2.7 million) exposed in enclosed public places. Despite a decline in tobacco use over the years, 6.7% of Ugandans, (1.6 million people) aged 15 and above, still use tobacco products. While this is a reduction from 9.7% in 2014, the country still has a long way to go in protecting its population from tobacco-related diseases, especially children and young people.