Gambians decry lack of action on public smoking

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Photo Credit: VOA

By ALIMATOU S. BAJINKA

Many Gambians have denounced the government’s failure to enforce the ban on public smoking since the enactment of The Tobacco Control Act in December 2016.

It could be recalled that in December 2016, The Tobacco Control Act was enacted and came into force in December 2018.

But its implementation in recent time has become an issue of concern to many, especially the passive smokers.

According to research, passive smoking is the inhalation of tobacco smoke, called secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke, by persons other than the intended “active” smoker.

It occurs when tobacco smoke enters an environment, causing its inhalation by people within that environment.

In order to unearth the health implication of passive smoking, this medium spoke to Dr. Abdou Rahman Jawo, a health personnel at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) who highlighted the dangers attached to passive smoking.

“Passive smoking is more dangerous because the smoke that we inhale from a second-hand smoke has no filter and we unknowingly inhale all the harmful chemicals that the cigarette contains,” said Dr. Jawo.

“This puts people at higher risk of smoking-related diseases that can cause lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. It may also increase the risk of some other types of cancer, and serious lung conditions,” he added.

He raised concern about the unpleasant experience of friends and family members that breathe in secondhand smoke could suffer serious health damages.

Mr. Seyfo Singhateh, a Senior Programme Officer at the Ministry of Health, during an interview with this medium also stated that there are efforts made to curb public smoking when it was first enacted.

“It was in the era of the former President Yaya Jammeh, who asked us to go on a community engagement exercise to make sure that the public is aware and are educated on The Tobacco Control Act, its implication, enforcement and the bad effect it has on the users,” Singhateh told The Monitor.

He added: “We have executed the said community engagements but during and after the community engagement exercise, some people were found guilty but were never punished or prosecuted.”

In his opinion, the ban on tobacco has failed because they wanted to use advocacy as a tool and not to punish anyone, which he said has worsen the situation recently, noting that people are smoking in public places without regard to the law.

Talking to passive smokers in different communities, some of who lamented the health damages, urging the authorities to enforce the ban on public smoking.

“The poor implementation of the ban on public smoking within the country, is very bad at the side of the government considering the health implications on the ordinary Gambians,” said Momodou Wurry Jallow, a native of Banjul.

Jallow complained about the reckless attitude of people who are smoking everywhere, regardless of the ban, yet nothing is done, which is seriously affecting the health of the general public.

He said he could not even sit at his own gate because of public smokers.

“I caught a cold when I perceived the smoke of a cigarette from another person, I would be coughing and sneezing throughout. The scent of cigarette is both hazardous and harmful, and a quick action needs to be taken,” Jallow stressed.

Sulayman Njie, also expressed similar sentiments, explaining how cigarette smoke affects his health.

He revealed that public smoking affect his eye, cause him nasal and throat irritation, the presence of a cough, wheezing and shortness of breath.

“As an asthmatic patient, the smoke also lead to the triggering of mild asthmatic reaction, and the contamination of bad smell of cigarette lead to my dizziness as a passive smoker,” he lamented.

Despite the law being in place, and the health implication attached people still smoke in public.

In other to unveil the reasons for smoking, this reporter engaged some cigarette smokers to know their reasons for smoking, despite the impact on their health.

Cherno Abdourahman Drammeh, said it was peer influence and lack of job opportunities that was the reason for his smoking habit.

“The reason I started smoking was because of peer pressure, and I had lot of free time because I did not have a job. I felt left out when I saw my friends smoking, I felt a little relief after every joint, but as time went on, I felt so much pain in my chest, and would find it very hard to breathe especially in tight places,” he said.

On the other hand, Ebrima Ndure a one-time smoker, who said he nearly lost his heart and as a result he decided to quit smoking.

“I have been smoking for five years and it was difficult to stop smoking because it makes me feel happy and less worried and free from stress.”

Ebrima said his wife always complains about his smoking habit but he never listened until he was admitted at the hospital and nearly lost his life, calling on smokers to stop the dangerous habit before it’s too late.

Meanwhile, the efforts to gauge the opinion of stakeholders as to the reasons of the lack of enforcement of The Tobacco Control Act, proved futile.