Gambia - enforcement of public smoking act begins October 1st - Gambian police will enforce..

September 28, 2010 - The Anti-Tobacco Campaign law was ratified since 25th July 1998 and the Public Smoking Act assented to by the president but for some reasons was not enforced.

But now It is a welcome development to hear that the Gambia Police Force has committed itself to enforcing the anti-public smoking law. (The Gambia signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on the 15th of June 2007 by the National Assembly, assented by the president on the 29th of October 2007.)

July 13, 2009 - Ghana - Tobacco Control Bill to parliament this month, July 2009..;

April 20, 2009 - Gambia - Enforcing public smoking ban is long overdue...

The re-enforcement stated that with effect from October 1st 2010 all cigarette packets being imported into The Gambia are required to bear the following health warnings in the format prescribed hereafter: On the front of every new cigarette packaging, the front of the packet should bear the inscription; “SMOKING KILLS", at the back of the packet, it should bear; "SMOKING SERIOUSLY HARMS YOU AND OTHERS AROUND YOU". On the sides of the packet should be written; “SOLD IN THE GAMBIA".

The Gambia Police Force in collaboration with sister security units in the country and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, on Monday, September 27th organised a one-day sensitisation forum on the re-enforcement of anti-public smoking act at the Police headquarters in Banjul.

Further more information on the tobacco control actions to take place can be found in the reference below.

Reference: Gambia - Anti-public smoking law to be re-enforced, Author: by Omar Wally, Daily Observer, 9/28/2010.