New Tobacco Control Legislation

The Public Health Committee is currently holding a number of Public Consultation meetings to gather people’s views on new Tobacco Control Legislation.

Based on world health research, smoking is the world’s leading cause of premature death, disability and the loss of ‘healthy life years’. On St Helena, ‘Non-Communicable Diseases’ which include heart attacks, strokes, type two diabetes, lung and kidney disease, and cancer, are the most common  causes of people losing their health and quality of life earlier than they should. The number of smokers in our community is higher than elsewhere and it is especially high amongst our young adults.

The aim of the new Tobacco Control Legislation is to help protect the public from the harm tobacco causes and to ensure the wellbeing of our people now and into the future.

The new legislation will:

• Prohibit any kind of advertising and marketing of tobacco
• Stop sellers from breaking up cigarette packs and selling ‘single’ cigarettes, making it difficult for young people to start smoking and help others to stop smoking
• Require sellers of tobacco to request ID to prove that young people are aged over 18 years
• Prohibit smoking in any vehicles with children aged under 18 present, to protect young people from second-hand smoke
• Restrict the availability of e-cigarettes, certain types will be prohibited, and promotion will be prohibited

Any person who wishes to import by any means and sell tobacco or related products must also be registered and all tobacco must be sourced from the UK or South Africa. No individual may import tobacco or any related products. This will allow for secondary legislation in the next two years to ensure that all tobacco sold is in plain packs, without attractive branding and with large graphic health warnings.

The public is reminded of the following upcoming Public Consultation meetings:

Anyone wishing to make any comment on the new Tobacco Control Legislation may do so in writing to Health Promotion Lead, Kate Heneghan, on tel: +290 22500 (ext. 2094) or via email: kate.heneghan@sainthelena.gov.sh.

The draft legislation is available on the SHG Website here.

SHG
24 February 2020