By Foday Moriba Conteh
Public smoking is officially banned across Sierra Leone following the enactment of the Tobacco and Nicotine Act of 2022. Dr. Santigie Sesay, Director of the Directorate of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health at the Ministry of Health, has announced that smoking in public spaces is now unlawful, with offenders facing fines, imprisonment, or both.
Dr. Sesay explained that the legislation aims to safeguard public health by mitigating the harmful effects of tobacco smoke. While acknowledging that tobacco remains a legal product, he emphasized that individual rights to smoke should not jeopardize the health of others. “Your right to smoke ends where another person’s right to breathe clean air begins,” Dr. Sesay remarked.
He cited a study showing that tobacco use is a significant public health concern in Sierra Leone, with 18% of men and 3% of women aged 15 to 49 identified as tobacco users, despite growing awareness of its harmful effects.
“Tobacco kills half of all its users,” Dr. Sesay warned, stressing that tobacco consumption is a leading cause of cancer, chronic lung disease, and diabetes. Additionally, he highlighted tobacco’s role in infertility, miscarriage, bad breath, and high blood pressure. “Globally, tobacco causes over two million deaths from cardiovascular diseases annually, and one in ten heart disease deaths is linked to tobacco use,” he added. Second-hand smoke, he continued, accounts for an estimated 900,000 premature deaths each year worldwide.
The Tobacco and Nicotine Act is part of a comprehensive strategy to regulate tobacco use in Sierra Leone, offering protection not only to smokers but also to minors, non-smokers, and pregnant women, all of whom are at heightened risk from tobacco exposure. “We are not simply aiming to imprison offenders, but to ensure the health and safety of all citizens,” Dr. Sesay stated. “Additionally, the country stands to benefit financially through tobacco taxation, potentially generating billions of Leones.”
Dr. Sesay also noted that efforts are underway to establish the Tobacco and Nicotine Control Council, which will be tasked with raising awareness about the new law and working closely with stakeholders at all levels to ensure its enforcement.
He concluded by calling for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to promote awareness about the risks of tobacco consumption and to drive the popularization of the Tobacco and Nicotine Act across the country.
