It is estimated that 18 percent of adult males in Malawi smoke tobacco, compared to just 1.2 percent of females. However, since there is no national agency focused on tobacco control, exact figures are difficult to determine.
Yes
Malawi is not a signatory to the FCTC, so there is little regulation of tobacco products. Malawi’s Tobacco Act regulates tobacco growing and exportation, but does not contain any restrictions on advertising, smoking in public places, or health warning label requirements. Smoking is allowed in public places, and tobacco advertising, including tobacco sponsorship of sports teams, is allowed. Since many smokers grow and then roll their own tobacco into cigarettes, a tobacco tax has not been an effective way to deter smoking.
Tobacco farming accounts for 81 percent of Malawi’s foreign exchange earnings. So, efforts to end smoking are treated with caution and often tinged with concern about negative economic consequences for the country. Furthermore, there is a lack of public education about smoking and many smokers, especially in rural areas, don’t fully understand smoking’s potential to cause negative health effects.
Malawians have little exposure to or knowledge of alternatives to combustible cigarettes.
“Patients with chronic diseases, I talk with many about the consequences of smoking, and they say, ‘Oh, this cannot be so.’”
Would a ban on e-cigarettes do more harm than good? @mbsiegel, Professor at @BUSPH says “…had the FDA been regulating e-cigarettes from the beginning, had they set safety standards… we would never have gotten into this mess.” http://bit.ly/2XCSkXS via @Freakonomics
Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos says, “Greek people are heavy smokers with a cultural background for it.” Find out more about how the culture in #Greece impacts the #StateOfSmoking: http://bit.ly/2m04RG2
Human capital development is critical to #Malawi’s agricultural transformation. See how the Agricultural Transformation Initiative is investing in Malawi’s students to help them succeed & support their country’s growth in the 21st century. http://bit.ly/2qq8FTR
Director of Agriculture & Economic Diversification Programs, Rob Henning, thanks partners for participating in our #ATISummit2019 in Lilongwe, #Malawi, including @FemiOke, @timothyjstrong, @OpportunityIntl & Josh Lishman, among others: http://bit.ly/37sm26D
According to the @AmericanCancer Society, 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes and as many as 480,000 die each year from it. Today is the #GreatAmericanSmokeout – the first day to start the journey for a smoke-free life. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/37lMQoU
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