Take Action: Support smokefree public places in Uganda!

[Anna White]

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Take Action: Support smokefree public places in Uganda!
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Dear Friends,

Uganda's National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has prepared
draft regulations to control smoking in public places. While the effort
has generally received a lot of support, with one poll showing 93% of
the public in favour, it looks as if BAT is striking back. A recent
article in one of Uganda's leading daily newspapers takes a negative
stance on the legislation. According to Phillip Karugaba, the newspaper
has a reputation for being very pro-tobacco. Phillip encourages fellow
GPTC participants to write letters to the editor to set the record
straight!

TAKE ACTION! Click on the link to write and send a letter-to-the-editor:

http://petition.globalink.org/view.php?code=ug2

Because it is important that each letter-to-the-editor is unique we have
purposely not provided a form letter.  Instead, we encourage you to
share firsthand experience with smokefree public places and/or to use
the talking points provided by Phillip. All letters will be sent to New
Vision and automatically cc'd to The Monitor, Uganda's other leading
daily.

Groups in U.S. states that have passed smoke-free legislation are
particularly encouraged to write letters in support of NEMA's efforts to
develop strong smokefree legislation. Phillip will let us know if anyone
gets their name in print!

TALKING POINTS

* Banning smoking in public places is the responsible thing to do and
Uganda is not alone in doing it (provide example)
* Read the article
(http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/letter/ug0310/) & address
specific misinformation in it, e.g. smokefree public places DON'T ban
smoking altogether; smoking sections in bars and restaurants DON'T
protect customers and workers from carcinogenic tobacco smoke pollution,
etc
* Why do you care about tobacco control legislation in Uganda?
* According to the Uganda GYTS results, 66.9% of the youth in Arua
District and 47.4% in Kampala District are exposed to secondhand smoke.
65.4% of the youth support a ban on smoking in public places
* According to a survey done by TEAN, 93% of the persons surveyed
supported a ban on smoking in public places
* President Museveni said, on the occasion of Uganda's 41st Independence
anniversary, that 1/2 of the Ministry of Health budget (Ug. Shs. 300
billion) goes to treatment of preventable diseases
* In his Speech on World Health day on 7th April 2002 the Minister for
Health, Hon. Brig Jim Muhwezi noted that between 1999-2001 patients for
stroke and cardiovascular disease doubled while the cases of
non-communicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes, asthma, cancers)
increased by 12,000.

NOTE: The text of the draft legislation is online at
http://tean.globalink.org/NEMA%20regs.html

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Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
Essential Action
P.O. Box 19405
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202-387-8030
Fax: +1 202-234-5176
Email: tobacco@essential.org
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco