CTPD Pushes for Swift Passage of Tobacco Control Bill, Calls It a “Generational Opportunity”

 

         CTPD Head of Advocacy and Campaigns Natalie Kaunda 

By Samuel Mbewe

Lusaka, Zambia – The Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) has urged lawmakers to fast-track the enactment of the Tobacco Control Bill, NAB No. 40 of 2025, describing the proposed legislation as a critical milestone in protecting Zambians from the health, economic, and environmental harms linked to tobacco use.

In a detailed memorandum submitted to the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services of the National Assembly of Zambia, CTPD characterized the Bill as a rare “generational opportunity” to strengthen public health protections while aligning Zambia’s domestic framework with its obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Zambia ratified in 2008.

The advocacy delegation was led by CTPD Head of Advocacy and Campaigns Natalie Kaunda and included Monitoring and Evaluation Manager Isaiah Mbewe, Public Finance Researcher Robert Mwale, Legal Researcher Lucy Musonda, Climate Change and Environment Researcher Solomon Mwampikita, Communications and Advocacy Officer Mwaka Nyimbili, as well as Youth Network members Given Kapolyo and Moses Besa.

Among the Bill’s most significant provisions is the proposed establishment of a Tobacco Control Committee tasked with coordinating multisectoral responses across key government ministries, including health, finance, commerce, and education. CTPD emphasized that tobacco control must be addressed not only as a public health concern but also as a broader economic and development issue requiring coordinated policy action.

The organisation also welcomed the Bill’s stringent packaging and labelling requirements, which mandate graphic health warnings covering at least 75 percent of cigarette packaging display areas. The proposed threshold exceeds the 50 percent minimum recommended under international best practice and is expected to enhance consumer awareness of the risks associated with tobacco consumption.

In its submission, CTPD challenged longstanding claims by the tobacco industry that tobacco production and consumption significantly benefit the national economy. The think tank pointed to a 75 percent excise tax exemption granted to locally manufactured cigarettes in 2016, arguing that the incentive led to an estimated ZMW 1.6 billion in foregone government revenue between 2016 and 2022.

While expressing broad support for the Bill in its current form, CTPD proposed further measures to strengthen its impact. Chief among these is raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21 years. The organisation cited scientific evidence indicating that the adolescent brain remains highly susceptible to nicotine addiction into the early twenties.

CTPD stressed that enacting a comprehensive tobacco control law would help curb long-term healthcare costs, protect young people, and mitigate the social and environmental consequences of tobacco use.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Revenue Authority, which also made submissions before the parliamentary committee on health, indicated that the Bill would help safeguard tax revenue while reinforcing public health objectives. 

The authority noted that a strengthened regulatory framework would support revenue collection efforts while reducing the harmful effects of tobacco consumption.

The organisation has since called on Members of Parliament to prioritise the legislation and ensure its swift adoption, framing the moment as a pivotal step toward improved public health outcomes and sustainable national development.



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