CPCR Urges Parliament to Reject ZACCI Opposition to Tobacco Control Bill

 

The Centre for Primary Care Research (CPCR) has expressed strong concern over recent remarks by the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) regarding the proposed Tobacco Control Bill.

In a statement issued by Executive Director Fastone Goma, CPCR accused ZACCI of deliberately misrepresenting the intent of the legislation. The organization noted that similar objections raised in 2018 had already been reviewed and dismissed, and warned that repeating them now risks delaying critical public health protections.

CPCR emphasized that ZACCI has been consulted multiple times by the Ministry of Health throughout the Bill’s development. According to the statement, after 18 years of consultations, further calls for dialogue are unnecessary and unproductive.

Health and Economic Benefits Highlighted

The organization stressed that the Tobacco Control Bill is fundamentally a public health measure aimed at reducing disease and death caused by tobacco use. It cited findings from a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA), which concluded that the legislation would deliver substantial national benefits.

Among the projected outcomes:

• Annual savings of approximately K24.56 billion
• ZMW 329 million saved in government healthcare costs
• ZMW 188 million reduced in out-of-pocket expenses for citizens
• Potential to save over 40,000 lives within 15 years if fully implemented

The assessment also identified the domestication of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as the most effective policy option for Zambia.

Rejecting Investor Concerns

CPCR dismissed claims that the Bill could deter investment, calling them “false narratives” promoted by the tobacco industry and its allies. The organization pointed out that more than 40 African countries have already adopted similar measures without experiencing investor withdrawal.

Call to Action

The statement urged lawmakers to treat ZACCI’s submission as an attempt to mislead the public and obstruct life-saving legislation. It emphasized that public health priorities cannot be compromised in favor of tobacco industry interests.

CPCR called on Parliament to uphold its constitutional responsibility by enacting the Bill and protecting citizens from the harms of tobacco use.

“Any further delay will mean continued loss of thousands of Zambian lives,” the statement concluded.