The Upper East Regional Office of the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has been actively conducting educational initiatives on tobacco control measures to reduce its usage in the region. This campaign is part of a broader effort to address the widespread use of tobacco and its adverse health effects.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Regional Head of the FDA, there is no safe form of tobacco use. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency following a training workshop for hotel, restaurant, and supermarket operators in the region, he emphasized the extensive harm tobacco can cause, affecting an individual's health from head to toe. The FDA's goal, he mentioned, is to eventually achieve "Zero tolerance for tobacco use in the future."
The workshop series, which also included food vendors, was designed to enhance participants' understanding of the dangers of tobacco. It aimed to promote good food handling practices, food safety, and self-compliance in food service operations among other objectives.
Mr. Hotor explained the legal framework surrounding tobacco use, referencing the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851, Section 58. The act prohibits smoking in enclosed indoor areas of workplaces or public areas, except in designated smoking zones. Public places, as defined by the act, include transport terminals, markets, and entertainment facilities where people gather.
Furthermore, Mr. Hotor stressed that any person selling tobacco must display a health warning sign as determined by the FDA. He criticized the practice of adults asking children under 18 years to buy, sell, or light tobacco, highlighting the law's intent to protect children from exposure to tobacco due to their vulnerability.
He urged stakeholders, especially parents, to be vigilant in monitoring their children to prevent them from being influenced by tobacco users. For those children already exposed to tobacco, he recommended seeking immediate rehabilitation.
Mr. Hotor also addressed the legal aspects of smoking in public spaces. He reminded that if an establishment does not have a designated smoking area, it cannot allow customers to smoke. This is crucial to protect the health of non-smokers. He encouraged all institutions and entertainment facilities to enforce 'no smoking' rules strictly to protect public health.
Participants of the workshop expressed their appreciation for the refresher training, acknowledging that while the information on tobacco was not new, it reinforced their commitment to operating their businesses with public safety in mind.