I’m not ready to issue ban on tobacco, says Tanzanian minister

Dar es Salaam. Agriculture minister Japhet Hasunga says he would not issue a ban on tobacco smoking despite its negative effects because the crop is the country’s second foreign exchange earner after cashews.

Mr Hasunga made the statement on Saturday November 30 in Dar es Salaam during a press conference. He said campaigns against tobacco and the smokers are affecting agriculture.

 “We know that there are many challenges that come with tobacco smoking and many people are campaigning against. But we also know that not everybody smokes. And, there are people who still smoke despite being warned about effects,’’ he said.

But World Health Organization (WHO) says tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year.

More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

Anti-tobacco campaigners in Tanzania have been urging the government to enact stern laws to protecting citizens and the environment against the hazards of smoking.

Previously, the Executive Director of the Tanzania Tobacco Control Forum Ms the Lutgard Kagaruki, has said that coordinated action is needed in full implementation of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

She says it is the only way to improve the health and well-being of people and save lives.

But minister Hasunga believes, “You need not to smoke too much so that you can feel its pleasure a little bit. To me, I’m not ready to issue a ban tobacco smoking because tobacco pays. This is the second exchange earner crop for Tanzania,” insisted the minister.

Hasunga said “After cashews, it is tobacco. So, if we ban it, then what should we do? We will invest the money obtained from the crop sales in another area.

“So, when we have sufficient money, we will see whether to develop it or not,” said the minister.

However, the minister said his statement did not mean to mobilize Tanzanians to continue smoking cigarettes, but aimed at getting a foreign market.

“In our country, Tanzania, there has not been lots of smoking and I urge my fellow Tanzanians not to continue smoking too much, but we need money from those who smoke in foreign countries,” he said.

Earlier, the minister said during the immediate past farming season, the target was to produce 57.30 million kilos of tobacco.

However, he explained that the tobacco that was bought until the end of the harvesting season was over 60,69 million kilos worth over $ 92.92 million, equivalent to 105.9 of the target.