Senegal to start enforcing anti-tobacco law

Senegal’s president Macky Sall has approved the enforcement of a law that prohibits tobacco consumption in public places as well as its sale to minors.

This means it is now illegal to sell cigarettes within 200 metres of an educational institution. The law also bans general advertisement of tobacco products.

Cigarette producers have been urged to include messages on the dangers of smoking to their packages.

The approval of the law passed by the country’s parliament two years ago , has been hailed by Senegal’s anti-tobacco programme officials who say tobacco consumption has led to many cases of cancer among Senegal’s youth.

The tobacco industry has been given a six month period to comply with the new rules and regulations.

Hotel and restaurant owners on their part have been given a 9-month deadline to stop accepting tobacco in their various work places.

Tobacco is the leading cause of dead across the world.

The WHO says close to 6 million people die each year as a result of direct and indirect consumption of tobacco.

According to the NGO Action on Smoking and Health, tobacco will kill one billion people in the 21st century if left unchecked.