JA Health Ministry to carry out assessment on tobacco control

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson has instructed his Ministry to carry out an assessment on tobacco control and its economic implications for Jamaica. The study will focus on stronger tax measures as a tobacco control strategy.
“The updated study will further guide national tobacco control policies in observance of Jamaica’s obligation under Article six (Price and Tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco),” said Dr. Fergusson.
He also said that prominent tax expert Dr Corne Van Walbeek has been approached to carry out the study.
The Minister was addressing a stakeholders meeting at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston to discuss the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) needs assessment report on Jamaica.
The objective of the meeting was to gain commitments on the part of stakeholders to address the gaps identified with respect to the implementation of the FCTC. Fergusson said that in order to be fully compliant with the FCTC, other areas will need to be addressed even though the country had implemented the Public Health (Tobacco Control) Regulations in 2013. He stressed that a comprehensive anti-tobacco strategy will be developed which will include a multi-pronged approach to reach the diverse target groups.
“We had commenced the drafting of this legislation prior to the promulga

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