Anti-tobacco legislation could soon be making its way through the Legislative Assembly.
Before the end of the year a draft would be available for public input and a final draft could become a bill to parliament in March 2006, the Cabinet press briefing was told.
‘Although our local legislation on tobacco only addresses, to a limited extent, the advertising of tobacco products, I am pleased to note the dramatic change of tobacco use in public and private offices to almost negligible levels,’ said Health Minister Anthony Eden.
‘However, in order to comply with the requirements of the FCTC, (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) as we are a party to it through the UK, we need to have supportive legislation,’ he said.
The Tobacco Legislation Steering Committee – made up of public and private sector representatives – had considered several concepts in working on the draft, Mr. Eden told the briefing.
These include:
1) Prohibiting people under the age of 18 from buying and selling tobacco.
2) Ensuring health warnings are on all cigarette packages sold in Cayman.
3) Limiting access to tobacco products – for example, concealing tobacco products from view in retail outlets.
4) Reducing cigarette smuggling into the Cayman Islands
5) Prohibiting smoking in indoor public and private workplaces and certain public places, including bars, public transportation, terminals, sports stadiums, shops, cinema halls, concert halls, health care facilities and all educational institutions.
Mr. Eden said that before the end of the year the draft would be available for public input and that feedback would also be sought from the Chamber of Commerce and others.
There would also be public awareness programmes to promote the FCTC and tobacco legislation through the media, he added.
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