A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), has expressed worry over the rampant rate of tobacco-smoking in public places at Nima, a suburb of Accra.

According to VALD, the inability of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to continually remind the public that the ban on public smoking is still in force has given ground for individual chain-smokers to flout the Tobacco Control Measures of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) which was passed by Parliament on 11th July, 2012.

The Programmes Director of VALD, Mr. Labram Massawudu Musah, expressed this sentiment in an interview with Today at a community forum to create awareness among the people on section six (6) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).

The forum, which was sponsored by the Norwegian Cancer Society, brought together community members, assembly members and students in the area.

“We are putting blame on FDA because it has not given any indication(s) that it would arrest and prosecute persons who smoke publicly, as well as managers of public places who refuse to prevent the practice of public smoking at their facilities, in their effort to prevent tobacco-related illnesses such as cancer.”

Mr. Musah, therefore, called on FDA to take stringent measures that will help in arresting and prosecuting persons who smoke in public and owners of public places, who refuse to prevent the practice in public.

The arrest, according to him, should be a criminal prosecution, under section six (6) of the Public Health Act 2012, which prescribes punishment of a severe fine or imprisonment to those found culpable.

He reiterated the call on FDA to ensure that cigarette packs depicted pictorial warnings that could ward off chain-smokers of the dangers of tobacco smoking.

“Now we have a law in place and therefore we have the right to breathe free from tobacco smoke. You can report any smoker to the law enforcement agencies because where one’s freedom ends another person’s freedom begins,” Mr. Musah stated.

He, however, warned parents and guardians against sending their child below the age of 18 years to buy cigarette, and urged the younger generations not to involve themselves in smoking.