Regulations of Tobacco Control Act Address Critical Issues – NCDA

The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is pleased that the Tobacco Control Act, 2020 includes regulations that address critical issues such as sale and access to minors, smoking and vaping in public spaces and advertising, promotion and sponsorship.A Joint Select Committee of Parliament, chaired by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is currently reviewing the provisions of the Tobacco Control Act, 2020.

Speaking at a World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) Youth Forum on Tuesday, May 31, NCDA Executive Director, Michael Tucker, said the issues are particularly important in the fight against drug abuse, as the statistics for early drug use in Jamaica are a cause for concern. The Executive Director indicated that NCDA studies have shown that 15 per cent of adolescents between ages 13 and 15 have reported use of e-cigarettes, and of those who have used tobacco, 80 per cent have used it before the age of 14 years. This, Mr. Tucker noted, is not confined to a particular parish or socio-economic group and occurs right across the island.

Another critical factor, he pointed out, is that youth are particularly vulnerable to the effects of nicotine contained in tobacco, given its highly addictive nature and the fact that it can disrupt their brain development.

The Executive Director also highlighted the increasing popularity of vaping devices among students. “One of the crucial needs for counteracting the increasing popularity of vaping is a public education programme that provides the population with key messages regarding tobacco use, its impact, access to cessation services and the new legal parameters that govern the industry,” he said.

Mr. Tucker pointed out that as the agency with responsibility for consistent messaging against drug misuse and keeping the relevant information at the forefront of people’s minds, the NCDA is advocating for tangible support to run a comprehensive sustained tobacco public education campaign. “We also need to take things a step further to enforce the regulations that stipulate penalties for those who sell tobacco products to youth,” he said, adding that there are “barely any barriers to access”. The Forum, which was hosted by the NCDA, provided perspectives on addressing tobacco use and its impact on health, environment and youth.

The Executive Director noted that it was tailored towards young people and packaged specifically for them, to highlight some of the facts that exist within the Jamaican context in a youth-focused and youth-friendly way.

World No Tobacco Day is observed annually on May 31.