ENEWS: Kenya to Enact Laws on Tobacco (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

Kenya to Enact Laws on Tobacco
by Xinhua via NewsEdge Corporation

Xinhua via NewsEdge Corporation : NAIROBI (Aug. 1) XINHUA - The Kenyan 
government will soon enact  laws regulating the manufacture, sale and smoking 
in public to reduce  health effects of tobacco consumption. 


Health Minister Jackson Kalweo announced here Saturday that the Tobacco  
Country Bill (1999) soon to be tabled in Parliament, is one of the  
government's commitment to the global efforts of tobacco control  program such 
as the "Tobacco Free Initiative". 


Local media Sunday quoted Kalweo as saying that the bill aims at  regulating 
the manufacture, sales, labelling, advertising, promotion of  tobacco products 
and smoking. 


Other objectives of the bill, the minister said, include monitoring and  
regulating the marketing and promotion of tobacco products, whether  directly 
or through the sponsoring of other products, services or  events. 


He noted that the bill will also prohibit smoking in public places such  as 
cinemas, theatres, health institutions, public transport and  specified  
buildings. 


Once enacted, the law will assist in the control of tobacco use in  Kenya's 
liberalized market which has attracted many local and imported  tobacco 
products, the minister added. 


        
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