Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - The Media has been challenged to explore new strategies of outwitting and exposing the tricky methods currently used by tobacco companies to indirectly promote their products. Mr Kofi Wellington, a Consultant and Communications Expert, speaking at a media training on tobacco control on Thursday, said research had shown that due to unfavourable laws adopted by the developed world, tobacco companies were now relocating into weak economies in developing countries, which also had weak socio-economic policies. He said such companies offered various forms of assistance to the needy in these countries pretending their intentions were genuine, but used such avenues to promote their products. He said a report from the World Health Organisation indicated that developing countries were currently battling with huge health deficits resulting from tobacco related diseases.

Mr Wellington said the cost of treatment could not be defrayed by the minute contribution gained from taxes collected on import and sale of tobacco products. The training, which was jointly organized by the Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a non-governmental organisation and the Media Alliance in Tobacco Control, was to encourage the media, as partners in public health campaigns to improve and increase their reportage on tobacco control and other related issues. It also provided a platform for journalists to form networks and collaborate to help push for the immediate passage of the Tobacco Bill into law.

Mr Wellington said there was more to be done in terms of media reportage, adding that a recent study found a very low incidence of tobacco control stories over the past two years, with many of them being event based. He said the media needed to set the agenda, create, sustain and shape it in a manner that would influence public consideration and decisions on tobacco related issues.

Mr Wellington, however, noted that as much as media advocacy was an increasingly important aspect of public health campaigns, media persons should consider elements such as proximity, prominence, accuracy, clarity and simplicity, extensive research as well as making tobacco stories interesting enough to gain front page newspaper coverage. He commended the media's role as great partners in public health campaigns in Ghana, saying it had positively influenced various policy directives on tobacco, citing the ban on smoking in public places as well as the promotion of proper labelling on cigarette packages.

Mr Issah Ali, Executive Director, VALD, said since Ghana ratified the Framework Convention (FCTC) in 2005, a lot had been achieved in terms of packaging and text labelling, and banning of all forms of advertisements on tobacco as well as sponsorships, sale or buying of tobacco by children less than 18 years. Mr Ali said it was the objective of the FCTC to protect present and future generations from the devastating health; social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to its smoke. He said Article 15 of the Framework recommended the strengthening of laws on illicit trade, resourcing the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service as well as other port authorities and involving all security agencies to tackle tobacco smuggling into the country. He said the same article also cancelled all partnership with tobacco industries, adding that the framework recommended a 100 per cent tax increase on cigarettes and a ban on single sale of cigarette sticks to help make it expensive for children to patronise.

Mr Ali said the Framework also suggested the need for government to support tobacco farmers to help them adopt alternative livelihood, so as to prevent situations of being lured and influenced with money by tobacco companies.