A GNA FEATURE by EMMANUEL P.K. AUBIN

ACCRA, April 10 GNA- African countries should strive for tobacco free continent by enforcing the fight against the use of tobacco with new legislations and continuous price hikes to make it more difficult for smokers to keep puffing.

Many countries across the continent have enacted or are formulating laws to ban smoking in public places, but strong opposition remains against efforts to end the scourge that kills 500,000 each year in the European Union (EU).

In the Netherlands, a new law that came into effect in January, 2004 prohibits smoking in public places such as public transport, the workplace, cafeterias and toilets. Employees who want to smoke will only be allowed to do so in special rooms equipped with extractor fans.

So far about 850,000 Dutch have pledged to kick the habit in 2004. They've registered at a website sponsored by the Foundation for Public Health and Smoking, which is geared to providing support for those who would want to give up.

In Vietnam Ministry of Health reports indicated that between 30,000 and 40,000 Vietnamese people die of smoking each year and up to 56 per cent of the men smoke cigarettes, and 38.9 percent of them are addicts. About 21 percent of local smokers started smoking when they were very young, a Ministry of Health statement said The percentage of women smokers in Vietnam stands at around 3.4 percent. Vietnam has targeted to reduce the percentage of local smokers to 7 percent by 2010, mainly by imposing higher taxes on tobacco-related products, restricting investment in cigarette production, and raising the public awareness of the danger of smoking.

Many people GNA talked to about the hazard of smoking said they wanted to quit for health reasons but because it has become part and parcel of their life style, they find it difficult to stop. But I think for many people the fact that there is no serious advert showing the hazards of smoking they find nothing wrong with it being practiced in public places. African governments should enact tough anti-smoking laws that would deter smokers from smoking in public and workplaces. But I think for many people the fact that they would no longer be able to smoke in the workplace, give them extra push.

Sweden has already passed an anti-smoking law that would go into effect in 2005. Ireland is also on the verge of passing a ban similar to the Dutch one. Belgium is gradually toughening up legislation against smoking, while Britain is also deliberating a crackdown on smoking in public places. The EU is also doing its part to build a smoking-free Europe. It is also compiling a database with photographs of smoking-related illnesses such as necrotic lungs to deter potential smokers.

What is Africa doing in relations to the measures Europe is taking to safeguard the health of its citizen? Should African leaders look on unconcerned for its precious citizens to die in the course of smoking? Really something should be done do save African precious souls. African governments should also take steps to build a smoking-free African continent by considering a move to outlaw smoking in bars, restaurants, and public places.

African governments could also mandate the use of photos to in addition to written warning labels that could detract smokers. Previous advisory words such as "smoking harms your health" should be changed to more fearful ones like "smoking kills" or "smoking makes you impotent."

African governments should also ban media across the continent from carrying tobacco advertisements, and cigarette brands should also be prohibited from sponsoring international sports and pageant shows. Such action may seem modest, but they could prove to be important in the long, slow struggle to change deep cultural practices on smoking. If progress has been made by the originators of smoking in their campaign against it in Europe, 80 percent of British companies have voluntarily applied bans or restrictions on workplace smoking, then nothing prevents African countries from doing likewise.

At present no smoking "revolution" is sweeping across France and Greece as Tobacco prices in France have risen three times in the past 12 months. A source also shows that cigarette sales in France dropped by 30 percent in the first 11 months last year compared with the same period of the year before. In Athens, workers are already used to smoking outside workplaces. OLD HABIT DIES HARD

The tobacco epidemic is still expanding, especially in developing countries where, currently, seven out of every ten tobacco-related deaths occur, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). "Tobacco use kills 4.9 million people each year, and it has been estimated to cause an annual global net loss of 200 billion dollars in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

However, anti-smoking laws, high cigarette prices and deadly illness could not completely stamp out smoking, as craving for cigarettes goes so deep into the society, politically, physically and culturally.

Although most African countries are taking steps to curb cigarette consumption, it is not enough to deter smokers from giving up the habit. Unfortunately, many Ghanaians have taken to smoking and drinking of "Akpeteshie, (local gin), because it is cheap and easy to acquire, and as the saying goes: a stitch in time saves nine. The authorities must wake up and do something about this phenomenon that has gripped our young ones. 10 April 04