Presidential Commission urges full use of tobacco control laws, higher taxes

Leslie Ramsammy

Chairperson of the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Dr. Leslie Ramsammy on Wednesday called for the full implementation of the country’s Tobacco Control Act and higher taxes on cigarettes.

The statement noted that six years after the Tobacco Control Act 2017 was enacted, Guyana is yet to fully implement its provisions. The statement in observance of World No Tobacco Day called on the Ministry of Health and other  agencies to ensure that there is full implementation of the Act and its provisions.

Dr. Ramsammy, who is also Advisor to the Minister of Health and a former Minister of Health, in his statement highlighted the fact that fifteen years after the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control came into effect,  the evidence-based treaty is still not fully being implemented equally around the world.