Govt targets shisha smokers as new Tobacco Control Committee launched
Smoking shisha is prestigious for some people but health reports show that a session is equal to smoking 200 cigarettes.PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- The new committee is expected to coordinate national efforts in line with Uganda’s Tobacco Control Act of 2015 and WHO guidelines.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health has inaugurated a new National Tobacco Control Committee, with a renewed mandate to enforce tobacco regulations and reduce smoking, especially in urban areas where shisha use is on the rise.
At the launch in Kampala on Tuesday, Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng urged committee members to remain vigilant and resist corruption, warning that tobacco use continues to claim thousands of Ugandan lives each year.
“I would like to see you more engaged in tobacco control activities,” Dr Aceng said.
She added: “Resources may be limited, but whatever little we have, use it to accomplish the tasks left by the previous committee.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 4,807 Ugandans die each year from tobacco-related diseases. That’s equivalent to 13 deaths per day. Dr Aceng stressed the need to reverse these figures and protect future generations.
“It will require vigilance, innovation, commitment, and courage. We must all play our part to achieve a tobacco-free country and generation,” she said.
Dr Aceng specifically urged the committee to address the growing popularity of shisha in bars and hotels, particularly in Kampala.
Shisha, or hookah, involves inhaling tobacco smoke filtered through water and is often perceived as less harmful than cigarette smoking.
“You will have legal, social, and perceived economic issues to deal with,” she noted. “That requires research and awareness not only of tobacco’s dangers but also other addictive substances like shisha and mairungi.”
Committee chair Dr Aggrey Ngobi Byansi pledged to intensify enforcement and hold violators accountable.
“Tobacco use is one of the most preventable causes of death and disease, especially among the youth,” he said. “We will build on the progress made by our predecessors and work to reduce both demand and access to tobacco products.”
Civil society representative Moses Talibita said enforcement remains critical, calling for tougher penalties and higher taxes on tobacco products.
“I have been in tobacco control since 2013,” he said. “We helped pass the Tobacco Control Act and the 2019 regulations, and now it’s time for government to fully implement the law.”
The new committee is expected to coordinate national efforts in line with Uganda’s Tobacco Control Act of 2015 and WHO guidelines.
