Monday, 3 June 2013
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Friday, 31 May 2013
Thursday, 18 October 2012
ZACA, PSDA welcomes 2013 national budget
By
KELLY NJOMBO and TRYNESS MBALE
ZAMBIA Consumer Association (ZACA) and Private Sector Development Association have welcomed the 2013 national budget saying it will benefit consumers on the low cost of bread and promote local production.
The associations say removing value added tax (VAT) on wheat and bread is a positive move while suspending duty on various equipment and motor vehicles used in the tourism sector will boost the sector.
Speaking in separate interviews in Lusaka yesterday, ZACA executive director Muyunda Ililonga said the VAT measure on wheat products will increase production of wheat as more farmers will be encouraged to grow the commodity thus bring the cost of bread downwards.
“The policy measure to zero-rate bread and wheat for VAT will benefit both farmers and the consumers because this move will lower the cost of bread and other wheat products on the domestic market. And farmers will have to produce more wheat at a much lower cost than before.” he said.
Mr ililonga said there is need for farmers to take advantage of the development by increasing production.
He said the measure will give farmers extra incentives to produce more wheat and expand the sector which has in recent years been growing steadily with this year’s production estimated to be at 266,000 tonnes.
With the Zero-rating of wheat, local farmers will now compete favourably with foreign wheat farmers as previously imported wheat was cheaper due to incentives in the respective countries resulting in Government banning the importation of wheat to protect local farmers.
“We hope manufacturers, producers, millers and bakers will reduce the cost of wheat products because as far as we are concerned this move by Government will reduce the cost of wheat production,” he said.
The Private Sector Development Agency (PSDA) has also welcomed the 2013 national budget because it addresses issues of capacity building and promotes local production.
PSDA chairperson Yusuf Dodia said the 2013 budget has responded to the people’s needs saying Government’s plan to create more jobs is a good move towards reducing the unemployment rate in the country.
Mr Dodia said he is happy that Government considered the budget submissions made by the association with 11 of the 20 submissions being included in the just presented budget.
Government has adopted among other submissions made by PSDA, suspension of duty on various equipment and motor vehicles used in the tourism industry, zero rating import of manufacturing equipment to promote the local manufacturing industry and increasing funding to the education sector.
“The 2013 budget is very good because it is looking at building capacity for Zambians and will encourage local production,” he said.
He also commended the government for suspending duty on various equipment and motor vehicles used in the tourism sector saying it will boost the sector.
Mr Dodia however expressed concern on Government move to placing more emphasis on the promotion of local production by increasing levy on imports saying the development will affect competition.
“Government’s plan to promote local products by increasing levy on imports is not good because it will prevent local manufacturers from growing due to lack of competition,” he said.
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
Consumer bodies hail Zanaco for K2 trillion loan book
By NANCY MWAPE
THE Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) and the Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) have commended Zanaco Bank Plc for responding to the financial needs of the Zambians by availing K2 trillion to spur economic activities.
Speaking in separate interviews, ZACA executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said as an association, they are happy that Zanaco is responding to market demands.
Zanaco Bank Plc’s book loan this year stands at K2 trillion with individual loan and the agricultural sector accounting for a larger funding to be released into the national economy to spur economic activities.
The individual loan potfolio will account for the lion’s share of the loan book at 43 percent and the agricultural sector 27 percent while the remaining sum is to be shared between corporate entities and Government.
“We are happy that the privatisation of Zanaco is benefiting the country, this is one bank before privatisation that never used to give loans to the public,” he said.
Mr Ililonga said with this huge loan portfolio on its books, it was clear that the sale of the bank worked well.
He said the loans especially those targeted at individuals, the private sector and agriculture industry will stimulate economic activities in the country.
“People want to invest in capital projects but lack funding. The loan will boost individuals to engage in economic ventures and create additional jobs in the market labour,” he said.
He said with increased competition in the financial sector, the banking industry is robust and innovative, adding that if this momentum continues, it will boost the Zambian economy.
CUTS chairman Lovemore Mtesa said lending to individuals and small scale entrepreneurs by commercial banks is a direct form of empowering them.
“This is something that should be lauded, we welcome the development and hope that the interest rates offered are affordable. If the cost of money is too high it defeats the whole purpose,” he said.
In August this year, Zanaco launched a new campaign dubbed “Empowering you. Building Zambia” aimed at boosting economic development and generating employment through targeting key segments of the country.
The bank is providing loans at reduced rates to cater for corporate, small-scale entrepreneurs, farmers and individuals.
Meanwhile, Zanaco has invested US$1 million to be spent on adaption of its infrastructure in readiness for the rebased Kwacha to be implemented on January 1, 2013.
The bank says that it is on track in its preparatory works to ensure smooth adoption of the new Kwacha.
THE Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) and the Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) have commended Zanaco Bank Plc for responding to the financial needs of the Zambians by availing K2 trillion to spur economic activities.
Speaking in separate interviews, ZACA executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said as an association, they are happy that Zanaco is responding to market demands.
Zanaco Bank Plc’s book loan this year stands at K2 trillion with individual loan and the agricultural sector accounting for a larger funding to be released into the national economy to spur economic activities.
The individual loan potfolio will account for the lion’s share of the loan book at 43 percent and the agricultural sector 27 percent while the remaining sum is to be shared between corporate entities and Government.
“We are happy that the privatisation of Zanaco is benefiting the country, this is one bank before privatisation that never used to give loans to the public,” he said.
Mr Ililonga said with this huge loan portfolio on its books, it was clear that the sale of the bank worked well.
He said the loans especially those targeted at individuals, the private sector and agriculture industry will stimulate economic activities in the country.
“People want to invest in capital projects but lack funding. The loan will boost individuals to engage in economic ventures and create additional jobs in the market labour,” he said.
He said with increased competition in the financial sector, the banking industry is robust and innovative, adding that if this momentum continues, it will boost the Zambian economy.
CUTS chairman Lovemore Mtesa said lending to individuals and small scale entrepreneurs by commercial banks is a direct form of empowering them.
“This is something that should be lauded, we welcome the development and hope that the interest rates offered are affordable. If the cost of money is too high it defeats the whole purpose,” he said.
In August this year, Zanaco launched a new campaign dubbed “Empowering you. Building Zambia” aimed at boosting economic development and generating employment through targeting key segments of the country.
The bank is providing loans at reduced rates to cater for corporate, small-scale entrepreneurs, farmers and individuals.
Meanwhile, Zanaco has invested US$1 million to be spent on adaption of its infrastructure in readiness for the rebased Kwacha to be implemented on January 1, 2013.
The bank says that it is on track in its preparatory works to ensure smooth adoption of the new Kwacha.
ZAMBIA CSOs DEMAND ENACTMENT OF TOBACCO LAW
Press Release
A group of civil
society organizations that campaign on public health are demanding action from
the Minister of Health. They want him to “move” on the stagnated process of
enacting a comprehensive tobacco control law in line with the country’s
international commitments. Zambia ratified the WHO Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control (FCTC) in May 2008 but has not domesticated the treaty since.
Early this year, the PF government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
undertook to domesticate all treaties to which Zambia is a party.
“As civil society
groups we welcomed this announcement by government. We were excited that
government was keen to fulfill it’s commitments to the international world but
now we are dismayed because not much is happening in terms of actualization of
those lofty pronouncements” said Brian Moonga, Secretary General for the Zambia
Media Network Against Tobacco (ZAMNAT).
The group that
recently held a mentorship meeting in Lusaka expressed regret that the Ministry
of Health has been dragging its feet on a matter that has been outstanding since
2010. “We are not happy, repeated correspondence with the office of the Minster
on this subject has gone unattended to.
This is not healthy, government needs to respond to the concerns of
citizens and we want progress on this issue” added Raphael Makowane of Zambia
Anti- Smoking society. The group says there is no justification whatsoever to
continue delay on the legislation because the health, economic and social consequence of tobacco use
are well known and documented. Disease and death caused by tobacco use, once a
problem manly in high- income countries, have become a large and increasing
part of the burden of disease in developing countries. According to the WHO,
the huge death toll associated with tobacco use is rapidly engulfing low and
middle income countries, where most of the world’s 1.2 billion smokers live.
“But the course
and pattern of this epidemic can be changed” said Muyunda Ililonga, Executive
Director of Zambia Consumer Association, “The FCTC to which Zambia is party
provides a road map to a common framework to move ahead. It promotes
evidence-based measures that are effective yet cost- effective in combating
tobacco use. Politicians committed to public health can place tobacco-a risk
factor to several non-communicable diseases (NCDS)-on top of the health agenda
and save lives and future of our children. Nations are taking bold steps to
protect the lives of their people from premature death caused by tobacco use.
We cannot continue with our slow match while other nations are moving forward.
We must act now to protect the health of our people. The world is watching us,”
added Ililonga.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Zambia domestic the FCTC
By Brenda Zulu
Zambia needs to domesticate the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as
it is a signatory to the treaty.
However
from that time we do not have a bill and as civil society organisations we need
to ensure that the bill is passed as law in Zambia.
In Zambia the key players are the British American
Tobacco, famers and leaf buyers.
“They may influence a law that may favour their interests
other than the public health act,” said Muyunda Ililonga Zambia Consumer
Association (ZACA) at a Tobacco industry interference workshop on August 31,
2012 at Pungwe Lodge.
“If we increase the price of tobacco, the demand for it
will go down and also there is need to enforce the ban on smoking in public
places,” said Ililonga.
He explained that the reason why the cigarette contents
need to be regulated was because that in Zambia they want to want to regulate labeling.
"In Zambia we have trained nurses and doctors through
nicotine replacement. Our boarders are porous and Zambia is experiencing some
smuggling of tobacco and there is need to control the illicit trade. Zambia
needs to find a cash crop that is economically viable as tobacco and it is a
process," said Ililonga.
The tobacco industry is very strong and can influence
politicians as they have the money. We need to corporate with others. In terms of health at least 50 chemicals of the 4000 that cause cancer.
ZAMBIA: Minimum wage leads to steep food price rises
LUSAKA, 27 September 2012 (IRIN) - The euphoria that greeted the government’s imposition of minimum wage increases has quickly soured, with prices of food and other essential commodities escalating as higher wage costs are passed onto consumers.
In July 2012, President Michael Sata’s government upped the minimum monthly salary in line with the 2011 election promise of “more money in the pocket” for poorly paid workers. Wages for domestic workers increased from US$30 to about $105, while general workers such as office orderlies, shop assistants, sweepers and farm workers saw their monthly earnings more than quadruple from $50 to $220.
In the past month, the cost of 25kg bag of the staple ground maize meal has increased by $1 to $8.50, while other farm produce prices have also risen.
“Everything at the market is now very expensive, and it is like they are being increased every day. Last month, we were buying a bunch of rape vegetables at 2,000 Kwacha [$0.40], now it is 3,000 Kwacha [$0.60]. And a kilo of beef, which was 21,000 kwacha [$4.20] - now it is 27,000 kwacha [$5.40]. This is too much for us the poor people,” Mwamba Kasonde, a housewife in the capital Lusaka, told IRIN.
“I think the only solution for us is to forget about eating nice, fresh food. We will be buying dry foods; dry fish, dry kapenta [sardines] and soya chunks [processed dry soya]. Chicken and meat should be for special occasions or only for the rich people,” she said.
Stress on the poor
Daniel Mutale, social conditions programme manager for the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR), a local faith-based think tank, said the sudden cost increase in basic food items was putting additional stress on the poor. About 64 percent of Zambia’s 13 million people live on $1 or less per day, according to Zambia’s Central Statistical Office.
The JCTR publishes the Basic Needs Basket, a monthly survey of food prices and basic commodities required for a family of six in Zambia. “The substantial rise in the cost of basic food items counters the purpose of policies like the recently adjusted minimum wage to foster decent living conditions among the disadvantaged workers,” Mutale said.
“We call on the government to put in place immediate measures to curb the increase in mealie-meal prices [maize-meal] and other essential commodities.”
Hanford Chaaba, spokesperson for the Zambia Consumer Protection and Competition Commission, told IRIN the sharp increases will make Zambian companies vulnerable to external competition, “which will, in the long run, put them out of the market.”
“The instability of food prices acts as a disincentive to having a productive economy. Therefore, any increment in prices on food items results in reduced disposable income for the consumers, and this works to the disadvantage of successful economic growth,” he said.
Apart from food prices skyrocketing, the cost of other essential commodities and services, such as electrical goods and building materials as well as transport fares, are also on the up.
Increase in transport costs
Ishmael Kankhara, a local businessman who owns 200 passenger minibuses, the largest fleet in Lusaka, recently announced he would raise the fare charges for his buses by $0.15 to ensure he pays all drivers a minimum wage of $220. He currently pays his drivers about $100 a month.
“If I pay the [new] minimum wage to all my drivers at the moment, I would run bankrupt within one month, and there would be no more Flash Buses on the roads anymore. So, while a 600 kwacha [$0.15] increment may not be enough, at least it would go some way in cushioning the impact of this law,” Kankhara told IRIN.
Executive director of the Zambia Consumer Association Muyunda Ililonga told IRIN the minimum wage increases have backfired on the poor. “You can’t have more money in the pocket when the cost of living is skyrocketing. This rise in the cost of consumer goods and services is detrimental to consumer welfare.
“The PF [Patriotic Front] government can only successfully show they are different from previous governments if they can lower the cost of living through workable policies. It shouldn’t be coming up with conditions to benefit only a few people, such as the minimum wage revision. They should go for policies to benefit all citizens, such as reducing VAT [value-added tax],” he said.
“If our VAT was reduced to, say, 14 percent [instead of the current 16 percent], it would reduce the cost of food items in the country and, ultimately, the cost of living. Many people, even the unemployed would benefit from reduced VAT,” Ililonga said.
Kennedy Sakeni, the information minister and chief government spokesperson, has condemned employers for passing on the costs of the new minimum wages and vowed that the government would soon “crack the whip”.
“We want to see to it that prices stabilize soon and are reachable by a majority of our population. We want to ensure these prices do not go beyond the reach of average Zambians because the majority of our people are unemployed. They don’t even get any salaries to survive on,” he said.
nm/go/rz
In July 2012, President Michael Sata’s government upped the minimum monthly salary in line with the 2011 election promise of “more money in the pocket” for poorly paid workers. Wages for domestic workers increased from US$30 to about $105, while general workers such as office orderlies, shop assistants, sweepers and farm workers saw their monthly earnings more than quadruple from $50 to $220.
In the past month, the cost of 25kg bag of the staple ground maize meal has increased by $1 to $8.50, while other farm produce prices have also risen.
“Everything at the market is now very expensive, and it is like they are being increased every day. Last month, we were buying a bunch of rape vegetables at 2,000 Kwacha [$0.40], now it is 3,000 Kwacha [$0.60]. And a kilo of beef, which was 21,000 kwacha [$4.20] - now it is 27,000 kwacha [$5.40]. This is too much for us the poor people,” Mwamba Kasonde, a housewife in the capital Lusaka, told IRIN.
“I think the only solution for us is to forget about eating nice, fresh food. We will be buying dry foods; dry fish, dry kapenta [sardines] and soya chunks [processed dry soya]. Chicken and meat should be for special occasions or only for the rich people,” she said.
Stress on the poor
Daniel Mutale, social conditions programme manager for the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR), a local faith-based think tank, said the sudden cost increase in basic food items was putting additional stress on the poor. About 64 percent of Zambia’s 13 million people live on $1 or less per day, according to Zambia’s Central Statistical Office.
The JCTR publishes the Basic Needs Basket, a monthly survey of food prices and basic commodities required for a family of six in Zambia. “The substantial rise in the cost of basic food items counters the purpose of policies like the recently adjusted minimum wage to foster decent living conditions among the disadvantaged workers,” Mutale said.
“We call on the government to put in place immediate measures to curb the increase in mealie-meal prices [maize-meal] and other essential commodities.”
 The instability of food prices acts as a disincentive to having a productive economy |
“The instability of food prices acts as a disincentive to having a productive economy. Therefore, any increment in prices on food items results in reduced disposable income for the consumers, and this works to the disadvantage of successful economic growth,” he said.
Apart from food prices skyrocketing, the cost of other essential commodities and services, such as electrical goods and building materials as well as transport fares, are also on the up.
Increase in transport costs
Ishmael Kankhara, a local businessman who owns 200 passenger minibuses, the largest fleet in Lusaka, recently announced he would raise the fare charges for his buses by $0.15 to ensure he pays all drivers a minimum wage of $220. He currently pays his drivers about $100 a month.
| If I pay the [new] minimum wage to all my drivers at the moment, I would run bankrupt within one month |
Executive director of the Zambia Consumer Association Muyunda Ililonga told IRIN the minimum wage increases have backfired on the poor. “You can’t have more money in the pocket when the cost of living is skyrocketing. This rise in the cost of consumer goods and services is detrimental to consumer welfare.
“The PF [Patriotic Front] government can only successfully show they are different from previous governments if they can lower the cost of living through workable policies. It shouldn’t be coming up with conditions to benefit only a few people, such as the minimum wage revision. They should go for policies to benefit all citizens, such as reducing VAT [value-added tax],” he said.
“If our VAT was reduced to, say, 14 percent [instead of the current 16 percent], it would reduce the cost of food items in the country and, ultimately, the cost of living. Many people, even the unemployed would benefit from reduced VAT,” Ililonga said.
Kennedy Sakeni, the information minister and chief government spokesperson, has condemned employers for passing on the costs of the new minimum wages and vowed that the government would soon “crack the whip”.
“We want to see to it that prices stabilize soon and are reachable by a majority of our population. We want to ensure these prices do not go beyond the reach of average Zambians because the majority of our people are unemployed. They don’t even get any salaries to survive on,” he said.
nm/go/rz
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Promote health says Chieftainess Mungulu
By Brenda Zulu
Chieftainess Mungulu has appealed to the first lady
Christine Kaseba to promote health. She said the issue of Tobacco was the heart
of the community as people who smoke and those affected by it live in the
community.
In her opening address at the Tobacco law awareness workshop
for Civil Society Organisations today at the Sanctuary lodge, in Chibombo
District, Chieftainess Mungule, said
tobacco was harmful.
Speaking on behalf of Chieftainess Mungule, Headman Mukwaya said that tobacco
was harmful and that it brings problems to people’s lives.
She said doctors have advised a lot of people to stop
smoking and that there is a difference today because of people infected with
HIV.
She observed that those
youths who continue smoking despite listening to elders are infected and
that the ones who suffer are mothers and fathers.
At 78 years old, Chieftainess Mungule recalled that when she
was young, elders always advised the young not to smoke.
She urged young ones to listen to elders observing that nowadays
young ones were smoking. She recalled that as youths of her time they listened
to elders.
Chieftainess Mungule observed that tobacco was a crop that
should be stopped to be grown in Zambia. She said tobacco growing was not
encouraged in her chiefdom Mungule.
Zambian government should enact strong laws that will impact on tobacco companies
By Brenda
Zulu
The Zambian
government should enact strong laws that will impact on tobacco companies like Australia
where parliament has enacted laws on cigarette packaging.
A health
consultant Sikwanda Makono said tobacco smoking was a major cause of morbidity
and mortality. “Apart from being a global hazard tobacco causes unnecessary
illness and deaths which is something that should be stopped,” said Makono at a
tobacco mentoring workshop in Lusaka held at Pungwe Lodge on 30th
August 2010.
He called
on all public and private institutions to work together to stop the hazards
caused by tobacco.
It is
estimated that one third of regular smokers will die prematurely due to the impact
of smoking. Losing 20-25 years of life of their life expectancy. Cigarette
content contains over 4,000 chemicals and over 50 chemicals cause cancer As for active smoking It was estimated that 40% of Zambian males
smoke compared to less than 10% among women of which at global level almost one billion men and
250 million women smoke. There
exists no safe number of cigarettes consumed per day or week. The lower the age at smoking
initiation, the higher the risk of cancer and other related diseases.
The risk of
cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Cancer resulting from
smoking can affect lungs, esophagus, laryorgs, bladder, stomach, pancreas, cervix,
colon and rectum, breast,
Kidney and many other organs.
There are
various diseases related to smoking.
These include coronary artery diseases, heart attack, stroke, infertility, impotence, miscarriage, fetal
growth retardation, still birth, birth defects, sudden
instant death syndrome, failing to thrive, poor performance in school, high blood pressure and chronic inflammatory intestinal
disease.
Environmental
tobacco smoke (ETS) is hazardous to health. Short term exposure to ETS can cause
eye irritation, sore or
dry throat, cough, chest
congestion, shortness of breath and asthmatic attack.
Zambia has
instituted public health acts that prohibit smoking in public places. Currently
the following are smoke free premises, all health facilities, all government
buildings, major towns and cities, public transport services, public utility premises including
bars, restaurants, hotels, schools, colleges and universities.
Zambia does
not have figures related to tobacco and health. By 1990 over 25,000 deaths were
tobacco related and the economic cost exceeded R 2.5 billion. Between
1990 and 1996 the price of bread increased by 145% while a packet of cigarettes
rose by 127% in Cape Town, South Africa in 2000.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
BREAKING THE SMOKING ADDICTION: PERSONAL TESTIMONIES
Smoking is an addiction many people find hard to break even
when they know that tobacco is the leading cause of cancer. For some, it is
only when faced with life-threatening choices that they make a decision to
quit. This is a story of two people who conquered their smoking habit. THE
signs were all there for Raphael Makowane to quit smoking but he would not. For
him, the good life entailed drinking and smoking and if he suffered minor
ailments along the way, it was a simple matter of taking a painkiller and
another cigarette-until his doctors told him he had a life-threatening disease
as a direct result of his heavy smoking.
Life-threatening encounter with cigarettes
For most of his adult life, Makowane, 44, believed that drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes epitomised good living until death stared at him in the face when he had a partial heart attack.
At that point, Makowane, a business executive, was smoking up to 30 cigarettes a day. Even when a young man threatened him with a knife “unless I give him a cigarette”, Makowane did not think to quit. Instead, he cursed the young man for depriving him of his pleasure!
For most of his adult life, Makowane, 44, believed that drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes epitomised good living until death stared at him in the face when he had a partial heart attack.
At that point, Makowane, a business executive, was smoking up to 30 cigarettes a day. Even when a young man threatened him with a knife “unless I give him a cigarette”, Makowane did not think to quit. Instead, he cursed the young man for depriving him of his pleasure!
He recalls an incident when he was almost burnt to death for smoking while driving; he unknowingly flicked hot ash on the car seat. A little while later, the car was on fire.
“I had to stop and run for help. Fortunately, I was alone
in the vehicle,” he remembers.
Makowane says his family complained about his polluting the home with cigarette smoke, his clothes would never smell fresh and his diet was poor. “My teeth and fingers were yellowing and stained,” he says, but even then he confesses this could not deter him from smoking.
Makowane says his family complained about his polluting the home with cigarette smoke, his clothes would never smell fresh and his diet was poor. “My teeth and fingers were yellowing and stained,” he says, but even then he confesses this could not deter him from smoking.
His body gave him other warning signs; tight chest, wheezing coughs that would not go away and headaches. He refused to associate them with his smoking habit.
A divorce from his wife and losing his job at the same time saw him plunge into a deeper abyss. Without an income, he began to beg for cigarettes from casual labourers, security guards and call-boys.
“I was a real addict,” he confesses.
Makowane collapsed in the home of a friend one day and was compelled to seek medical attention. An X-ray showed that his lungs were diseased. His doctor warned that the lungs would not hold out for much longer if he did not take immediate action.
“I saw certain death staring at me in the face. I thought
of my children and the life ahead of me. I told myself that I had to stop
smoking,” Makowane, whose smoking had also affected his hearing, explains.
He underwent a year of therapy for addiction at Chainama Hills Hospital and stopped smoking, but says it was not easy. “I suffered terrible withdrawal symptoms; insomnia, vomiting after eating, headaches, temper tantrums and depression. But I had no choice. It was a terrible period. Even now, I still wish for a cigarette when I see someone smoking, but rather than ask for a stick, I walk away.”
He underwent a year of therapy for addiction at Chainama Hills Hospital and stopped smoking, but says it was not easy. “I suffered terrible withdrawal symptoms; insomnia, vomiting after eating, headaches, temper tantrums and depression. But I had no choice. It was a terrible period. Even now, I still wish for a cigarette when I see someone smoking, but rather than ask for a stick, I walk away.”
Fighting addiction
Cinder Mwale (not real name) is a 15-year-old former street child who started smoking at the age of eight. She began by smoking ‘balan’, a type of unprocessed tobacco sold by the sack. She would sneak into the dump sites at Soweto market after dark and steal from the sacks. Now, she has a debilitating lung disease and a chronic cough.
Cinder was living under the bridge at Manda Hill when she had her first cigarette. “I will never forget that first pull, I felt the smoke go straight to my head and I felt light-headed. I didn’t feel the hunger pangs or the hurt of abandonment anymore, I was just happy,” she says.
She began to crave cigarettes. She would do anything to experience that rush that came with smoking. She also felt grown up. “I saw big people in their nice fancy cars smoking and I envied them. I thought smoking was what made someone rich,” she says.
Cindy rolled up balan which she scavenged from the market,
after the marketeers had left. She picked up ‘stompies’ (cigarette butts) that
had been thrown in garbage cans. She also “scored” from other street children
with whom she exchanged sexual favours.
It was only when she fell pregnant and was taken in by an NGO running a shelter for girl street children that she was forced to quit smoking temporarily, because she could no longer access cigarettes or balan.
“The house mother kept us under strict supervision, I could not move but being pregnant, I also lost the appetite for cigarettes, they made me feel nauseous and sick,” she remembers.
But when she gave birth, the addiction came back in full
force. She began to beg or steal money to hustle cigarettes. But it was
difficult. “I rarely had money to buy cigarettes. I was not on the streets so I
was no longer under the influence of my friends,” she says.
On the insistence of the housemother, and to save her health (her weight had dropped to a dangerous 40kg), Cinder underwent therapy and learnt how she had been abusing her body.
On the insistence of the housemother, and to save her health (her weight had dropped to a dangerous 40kg), Cinder underwent therapy and learnt how she had been abusing her body.
She began
to force herself to eat three meals a day to repair her malnourished body and
took up knitting to keep her hands and mind busy. She denied herself any
activities like watching television which would lull her into relaxation and
crave a cigarette. Most importantly, however, she stopped associating with
smokers or being in places (streets) which were associated with cigarettes.
The road to fighting the addiction was not easy. She had
severe withdrawal symptoms which would manifest in different ways on different
days. Sometimes, she would be depressed, other times light-headed, sometimes
she would have an appetite, other times she would get nauseous at the mere
sight of food.
It has been three years since she last smoked but she says she is still not quite smoke-free. “There are days when I don’t even think about smoking, and then there will be a day when I crave for just one puff,” she says with a wistful smile, “but I look at how far I have come and instead I just pick up my knitting needles.”
It has been three years since she last smoked but she says she is still not quite smoke-free. “There are days when I don’t even think about smoking, and then there will be a day when I crave for just one puff,” she says with a wistful smile, “but I look at how far I have come and instead I just pick up my knitting needles.”
What medical experts say
Dr Fastone Goma, Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Zambia and a tobacco researcher, says Mwale is lucky that she had a baby without complications. With her addiction, she could have suffered vaginal bleeding, placenta eruption, or an ectopic pregnancy and the baby could also have suffered lung damage.
One cigarette contains 4,000 different chemicals which foster the addiction to people who smoke, thereby enslaving them because their lives become fully dependent on it.
The different chemicals blend with the bio-chemistry of the central nervous system, which is part of the brain. This blending happens in such a way that when a person who is addicted to smoking has not smoked, the nicotine levels go down and the receptors in the brain “complain”, sending a signal to the whole body that there is need for smoke and re-stocking the nicotine.
During the
time that the nicotine levels are low in the body, a smoker would start
experiencing short attention span, poor concentration and they are easily
irritated. Further, they also get anxious, the heart pumps faster, which is an
indication that nicotine levels are low, while there will also be memory
lapses, low mood and withdrawal symptoms.
Chief mental health officer and National Tobacco Control
Focal Point person in the Ministry of Health, John Mayeya, says although the
symptoms manifested by cigarette smokers are similar to those by people who
have a mental disorder, tobacco does not cause mental illness.
Even then, for people who are prone to depression, smoking can easily send them into a spiral. This is so because once an addict smokes, the nicotine levels go high and the system is stabilised, bringing the person back to their ‘normal’ self.
Even then, for people who are prone to depression, smoking can easily send them into a spiral. This is so because once an addict smokes, the nicotine levels go high and the system is stabilised, bringing the person back to their ‘normal’ self.
Quitting smoking
Mr Mayeya admits that, like any addiction, quitting smoking is difficult but people can do it with the help from health care professionals at Chainama Hills Hospital or therapy groups. There are medications available, like patches, which are stuck onto the arm, or nicotine replacement therapy, like nicorettes, which are a kind of chewing gum.
Many people eat sweets in the place of cigarette, which brings its own problems of too much sugar, but people usually find an equilibrium. “Although stopping smoking can cause short-term side effects such as weight gain, the positive health benefits far outweigh the danger of cancers,” Mr Mayeya emphasised.
Mr Mayeya admits that, like any addiction, quitting smoking is difficult but people can do it with the help from health care professionals at Chainama Hills Hospital or therapy groups. There are medications available, like patches, which are stuck onto the arm, or nicotine replacement therapy, like nicorettes, which are a kind of chewing gum.
Many people eat sweets in the place of cigarette, which brings its own problems of too much sugar, but people usually find an equilibrium. “Although stopping smoking can cause short-term side effects such as weight gain, the positive health benefits far outweigh the danger of cancers,” Mr Mayeya emphasised.
Thursday, 23 August 2012
New packaging for tobacco
By Nancy Handabile
IT is a fact that tobacco is extremely harmful to health. However, this does not seem to deter many people from smoking.
The tobacco problem is a global challenge and because we are living in a global village, trends in one country will most likely spread to others.
Recently, the Australian government came up with a law to enforce plain packaging on cigarette packets.
The law stipulates that all cigarette packets regardless of the brand be packaged plainly but with images of the various ailments, which tobacco causes.
These ailments range from mouth cancer, lung diseases, and respiratory problems, among others.
This did not go down well with the tobacco companies that argued that the value of their trademarks would be destroyed if they were no longer able to display their distinctive colours, brand designs and logos on packets of cigarettes.
They took the government to court but the Australian High Court recently upheld the Government’s decision to introduce plain packaging.
Thus, in December, packets will instead come in a uniformly drab shade of olive and feature dire health warnings and graphic photographs of smoking’s health effects.
The government, which has urged other countries to adopt similar rules, hopes the new packs will make smoking as unglamorous as possible.
Zambia has a law that stops smoking in public. However, stricter measures are needed especially that many smokers start in their teens.
Many countries are now facing the pressure of following Australia’s route and Zambia is no exception.
Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) executive director, Muyunda Ililonga has encouraged the Zambian Government to follow suit.
According to Mr Ililonga, “the ruling in Australia is a landmark victory for public health globally. It sends a strong message that the industry can be defeated.”
The new law will now make it illegal, for example, for the cigarette manufacturers to market cigarettes in ‘slim’ packages to women to promote the belief that smoking is a way to stay thin and control weight.
The tobacco companies have opposed plain packaging more ferociously than any other tobacco control measure because they know that plain packaging would have a major impact on smoking in Australia – and in other countries that might follow Australia’s lead.
“The cigarette companies hate nothing more than laws that restrict their ability to sell more cigarettes,” says Mr Ililonga, adding that “their legal challenges are destined to fail because the courts accept that more cigarette sales mean more sickness and more deaths, and that governments have a duty to act to reduce these harms.”
Mr Ililonga advised that a Government determined to protect its people would always succeed regardless of obstacles.
“We feel the Government must follow the pioneering journey undertaken by the Australian government in standing up against tobacco.”
His sentiments that the attractive packaging is one of the ways in which the tobacco industry advertise their deadly products are echoed by Charlie Mumba (not his real name).
Times of Zambia
IT is a fact that tobacco is extremely harmful to health. However, this does not seem to deter many people from smoking.
The tobacco problem is a global challenge and because we are living in a global village, trends in one country will most likely spread to others.
Recently, the Australian government came up with a law to enforce plain packaging on cigarette packets.
The law stipulates that all cigarette packets regardless of the brand be packaged plainly but with images of the various ailments, which tobacco causes.
These ailments range from mouth cancer, lung diseases, and respiratory problems, among others.
This did not go down well with the tobacco companies that argued that the value of their trademarks would be destroyed if they were no longer able to display their distinctive colours, brand designs and logos on packets of cigarettes.
They took the government to court but the Australian High Court recently upheld the Government’s decision to introduce plain packaging.
Thus, in December, packets will instead come in a uniformly drab shade of olive and feature dire health warnings and graphic photographs of smoking’s health effects.
The government, which has urged other countries to adopt similar rules, hopes the new packs will make smoking as unglamorous as possible.
Zambia has a law that stops smoking in public. However, stricter measures are needed especially that many smokers start in their teens.
Many countries are now facing the pressure of following Australia’s route and Zambia is no exception.
Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) executive director, Muyunda Ililonga has encouraged the Zambian Government to follow suit.
According to Mr Ililonga, “the ruling in Australia is a landmark victory for public health globally. It sends a strong message that the industry can be defeated.”
The new law will now make it illegal, for example, for the cigarette manufacturers to market cigarettes in ‘slim’ packages to women to promote the belief that smoking is a way to stay thin and control weight.
The tobacco companies have opposed plain packaging more ferociously than any other tobacco control measure because they know that plain packaging would have a major impact on smoking in Australia – and in other countries that might follow Australia’s lead.
“The cigarette companies hate nothing more than laws that restrict their ability to sell more cigarettes,” says Mr Ililonga, adding that “their legal challenges are destined to fail because the courts accept that more cigarette sales mean more sickness and more deaths, and that governments have a duty to act to reduce these harms.”
Mr Ililonga advised that a Government determined to protect its people would always succeed regardless of obstacles.
“We feel the Government must follow the pioneering journey undertaken by the Australian government in standing up against tobacco.”
His sentiments that the attractive packaging is one of the ways in which the tobacco industry advertise their deadly products are echoed by Charlie Mumba (not his real name).
Times of Zambia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)