Jamaica to strengthen fight against smoking

Noting a sharp increase in non-communicable diseases, Jamaica's Minister of Health announced his intention to give renewed impetus to tobacco control. He emphasized the cost-effective nature of tobacco control and called for greater public awareness of the dangers of tobacco. He also called for avoiding interactions between government agencies and tobacco companies.

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Tobacco Free Portfolios, an organization aiming to exclude the tobacco industry from financial investments, held an event on September 19, 2023, entitled "There is no place for tobacco in a Net Zero world."Speaking on this occasion, Christopher Tufton, Jamaican Minister of Health, outlined the main features of Jamaica's anti-tobacco policy.[1].

A heavy toll of non-communicable diseases

Noting that more than 70% of deaths in Jamaica are caused by non-communicable diseases, a large proportion of which are attributable to tobacco, Christopher Tufton said tobacco control should be strengthened.

"The return on investment of tobacco interventions over a 15-year period shows that every dollar invested in tobacco control in Jamaica results in a return of 5.37 Jamaican dollars. We must consolidate these gains."[2], said Christopher Tufton. He stated his intention to roll out the Tobacco Control Act of 2020 and bring Jamaica into compliance with the requirements of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (CCLAT). He praised his country's collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the FCTC Secretariat, thanking them for their assistance in implementing international health regulations in the country. He also highlighted the continued support of civil society in this comprehensive anti-tobacco effort.

Minimize Jamaica's interactions with the tobacco industry

Among the actions envisaged, Christopher Tufton particularly wished to protect the Jamaican public authorities from any interaction with tobacco manufacturers. The exchanges with these manufacturers, listed and denounced by the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control[3], will therefore have to restrict themselves to interactions strictly necessary to ensure the regulation of tobacco products, in accordance with the provisions of the FCTC treaty.

The Jamaican Minister of Health also requested that toxicological analyses be carried out on the content and emissions of tobacco products, in order to better inform the population. Public information and awareness campaigns on tobacco products and exposure to tobacco smoke will also be implemented. In 2016, Jamaica had 11,130 regular smokers, including 7,130 daily smokers, as well as 13,130 occasional smokers.[4]Just over two-thirds of children aged 13 to 17 are frequently exposed to tobacco smoke.

Attention to the environmental cost of the tobacco industry

Christopher Tufton finally highlighted the major environmental cost of the tobacco industry, whether in deforestation, water consumption, depletion of arable land or CO emissions.². About 500 Jamaican farmers still produce tobacco leaves.

A theme also addressed by Aurélien Rousseau, the French Minister of Health. At the same event, he highlighted the environmental consequences of e-cigarettes and reiterated that his government is considering banning disposable e-cigarettes ("puffs"). Other French speakers at the Tobacco Free Portfolios event included representatives from BNP-Paribas, Société Générale, and Crédit Mutuel. Signatories to the Tobacco Free Portfolios movement to divest from the tobacco industry, these three banks reaffirmed their rejection of the tobacco industry and their commitment to human health and the environment.

Keywords: Jamaica, Christopher Tufton, CCLAT, PAHO, Tobacco Free Portfolios.

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[1] Jamaica's Minister Of Health And Wellness Renews Commitment To Tobacco Control, The St Kitts & Nevis Observer, published October 6, 2023, accessed October 11, 2023.

[2] Tobacco Free Portfolios Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary of the Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge at United Nations Headquarters, Business Wire, published September 19, 2023, accessed October 11, 2023.

[3] Tobacco Industry Interference in the Caribbean, Subregional Workshop on the Use of Law to address Noncommunicable Diseases in the Caribbean, JCTC/HCC/HFJ, March 2020.

[4] Jamaica, 2020 - Core questionnaire of the reporting instrument of WHO FCTC.