“The bill is not balanced and will cripple the tobacco industry once it is passed in the Parliament,” – Tobacco Executive Maurlaine Argyle-Kirton“Revenue brought in through the tobacco industry does not compensate for the amount of lives that are being lost from smoking and second hand smoke every year,” – PAHO/WHO Country Representative Dr. William Adu-Krow By Jeanna Pearson “In Guyana, children are “allowed” to buy cigarettes, cigarettes are sold in sticks for as low as forty dollars, andDr. William Adu-Krowpeople are left to suffer from second hand smoke,NFL Jerseys From China,” is the concerned observation of Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Country Representative Dr. William Adu-Krow.The medical expert asserts that there is a burning need for tobacco restrictions to be meaningfully enforced in Guyana, while stressing that revenue brought in through the tobacco industry does not compensate for the amount of lives that are being lost from smoking and second-hand smoke every year.Every year, tobacco kills 6 million people— 5.4 million active smokers and 600,000 non-smokers exposed to second hand smoke. It is the only legal consumer product that kills up to half of its users when used exactly as intended by the manufacturer, costing the global economy an estimated US$200 billion each year.In 2005, Guyana assented to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and promised to impose regulations for tobacco consumption and its trade. National consultations were held on the proposed tobacco legislation and the Bill was approved by Cabinet a few weeks ago.This Bill, which is intended to protect present and future generations from the “devastating harms” of tobacco use, exposure to tobacco smoke, and specifically to prevent tobacco use among youths, is expected to be tabled in Parliament next month. The legislation is also seeking to ensure that the public is protected from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry, while preventing the illicit trade in tobacco products.HEAVILY FLAWEDHowever, the key stakeholder in the tobacco trade, Demerara Tobacco Ltd has said that the bill— in its present state— is heavily flawed. Managing Director of the company Maurlaine Argyle-Kirton, in an interview with Kaieteur News, posited that “the bill is not balanced and will cripple the tobacco industry once it is passed in the Parliament”.Maurlaine Argyle-Kirton“Our position is that we are not opposed to regulations, but what we are asking is that the regulations should be practical, enforceable and balanced. There are big areas of concerns,” she said, expressing disapproval that the company was not included in the consultation sessions.She stated the Bill recommends restriction on advertisement, promotion and sponsorship and also a ban on displaying tobacco products. She asserted that the legislation precludes not only smoking in public places but also in the privacy of homes.“They are literally moving away from what you and I know as public place to include your private homes…that we believe is an infringement on human rights,” she said, lamenting that the ban on public display is also too stringent.She indicated that this “under the counter” type of vending would put pressure on sales and also increase the illicit trade of tobacco. The Bill also proposes a ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of the tobacco companies. This ban has been extended to corporate sponsorship. There is also section of the legislation mandating retailers not to sell less than 20 cigarettes in a pack. This, Argyle-Kirton, said would force the average man to expend more of his income because he cannot afford a 20-cigarette pack.She added that the intention of the bill is to strip the tobacco industry of its right as a supplier. “We can’t advertise, we can’t promote, we can’t sponsor. They should at least allow us to use the bars, the shops and the nightclubs, because children shouldn’t be there, but the intention is for nothing. You can’t even smoke a cigarette in a nightclub anymore,” she argued, adding that the legislation is formulated to bring about a complete ban—indoor, outdoor, on the streets and extending to the homes.The Bill, she said,NFL Jerseys Outlet, moves further to prohibit persons who have worked in the tobacco industry from gaining employment at any government institution for a minimum of five years. She indicated that this section of the Bill has only served to incense her further, branding it as “total discrimination” against a person’s Constitutional right.There is also a proposal to increase graphic health warnings to 75% in the legislation, Argyle-Kirton said, suggesting that the government, through the Ministry of Public Health, should engage in dialogue with the tobacco industry before allowing the bill to become law.“A