Latest: 75 percent of Zimbos want public smokers arrested – poll

Stanford Chiwanga, Online News Editor

THE majority of Zimbabweans want the police to put in force the Public Health Act (Tobacco Control) Regulation 264 of 2002 and arrest public smokers.

The Public Health Act prohibits people from smoking in public.

A Chronicle online survey showed that 75 percent of Zimbabweans want law enforcers to descend on public smokers while 25 percent are against the arrest of public smoking offenders.

909 readers participated in the poll with 683 voting “Yes” to the poll question – “Should the police arrest public smokers?” – 226 voted “No”.

Recently the deputy director for the department of mental health services and substance abuse, Mrs Dorcas Sithole let slip that her department had engaged the Ministry of Home Affairs to descend on people smoking in public places such as public transport, public halls, public gatherings and on the streets.

**Defiant: Public smoking is a criminal offence under the Public Health Act, but no smoker has been prosecuted under the Act**

She said people smoking in public risk arrest.

“As the ministry, we have intensified campaigns against public smoking spelling the health impact of use of tobacco. We have engaged the Ministry of Home Affairs to assist us in deterring public smokers.

“According to the Public Health Act on tobacco, smoking in public places such as public transport, public halls, public gatherings, eating places including on the streets is an offence.

“All public smokers will be prosecuted. The offence attracts a $500 fine or a custodial sentence not exceeding six months,” she said.

Home Affairs deputy minister Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi said the police would start enforcing the law as soon as they had completed educating the public.

“That is in order, but we will only arrest offenders once the public is aware,” he said.

**A hefty fine: Public smoking attracts a fine of $500**

Mrs Sithole said the Government was trying to protect non-smokers from secondhand or passive smoking after effects.

Passive smoking has been linked to lung cancer because secondhand smoke contains more than 4 000 chemicals, many of which are irritants and toxins, and some of which are known to cause cancer.

**Danger: Passive smoking has been linked to lung cancer**

There is some evidence suggesting it might be linked to lymphoma, leukaemia, brain tumors in children, cancers of the larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), nasal sinuses, brain, bladder, rectum, stomach, and breast in adults.