Pass TCB No 40 of 2025 now, TOFAZA’s Young People petition Zambian Parliamentarians

Zambian Children are urging parliamentarians to prioritize passage of the Tobacco Control Bill No 40 of 2025 which has eluded domestication in the last two decades (20 years).

Children affiliated to Tobacco Free Association of Zambia (TOFAZA) chorused a message urging parliamentarians to prefer protecting them as a future generation from manipulative tendencies of the Tobacco Industry.

Reading a communique on behalf of his peers, during a “TOFAZA 2025 Tobacco Industry Interference Index Report – “Voices of the Zambian Children – We are the Generation You Promised to Protect – Don’t Let the Tobacco Industry Destroy our Future”,  Youth Advocate Kumbuso Phiri regretted that the tobacco industry continuously targets initiating school children and young people with supposedly trendy nicotine and tobacco products.

“It is worrying that the Tobacco Industry is always ploughing billions advertising trendy nicotine and tobacco products hoking school children as a source of markets youths to replace the more than 7,142 Zambians dying annually as a consequence of tobacco-related causes. It is imperative to protect children and young people from exposure to nicotine and tobacco products,” noted Phiri, grieving on account of e-cigarettes damaging the health, mental and emotional wellbeing of young people.

Phiri equally dissuaded schools country wide to reject sponsorship from tobacco companies and prevent their representatives from engaging with students.

The TOFAZA Youth Advocate implored celebrities and influencers to refuse tobacco-related sponsorships as such appeasements circulated on social media platforms entice the fan base to fall prey to Tobacco Industry shenanigans.

Perhaps taking advantage of President Hakainde Sammy Hichilema being a sobriety champion having not smoked cigarettes nor drunk alcohol, Phiri pleaded with the Zambian government to ban all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, and to introduce strict regulations on emerging products; shisha, vapes and e-cigarettes, to name but three.

Noting the bipartisan nature of the Tobacco Control Bill No 40 of 2025, Phiri appealed to Members of Parliament (MPs) to support and pass the it into law to protect young people and children from the harms of tobacco.

On his part, TOFAZA Youth Coordinator Obedi Lubasi equally implored Parliament to urgently pass the Tobacco Control Bill No. 40 of 2025 without hesitation.

Lubasi highlighted findings from the 2025 Zambia Tobacco Industry Interference Index, which ranks Zambia 94th out of 100 countries for tobacco industry influence.

“Zambia’s national interference score rose from 77% in 2023 to 83% in 2025, showing a persistent upward trend. It is regrettable that the tobacco industry’s involvement in public policy formulation contradicts Zambia’s obligations under the United Nations World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control UN-WHO-FCTC) Article 5.3, which requires governments to protect health policies from commercial interests.

Speaking within earshot of Tobacco Control Consortium in Zambia (TCCZ) Chairperson Mr. Albert Muloboka Phiri, Lubasi regarded the TCB No 40 of 2025 as essential to safeguard public health and protecting the future generations from the devastating effects of tobacco use.

On his part, in a PowerPoint presentation, Communication Specialist Francis Lungu noted that Zambia is set to take a major step in public health as the TCB No 40 of 2025 completes the Parliamentary Committee Stage and awaits full readings.

According to the 2025 Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index, Zambia ranks 94th out of 100 countries, indicating considerable pressure on public health decision-making.

Mr. Lungu petitioned termination of all tobacco industry Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes, dissemination of UN-WHO-FCTC Article 5.3 to all ministries, and the establishment of a strict code of conduct to limit official interactions with the Tobacco Industry to regulatory matters.

In her opening remarks, TOFAZA founding Executive Director Brenda Chitindi voiced concern over Tobacco Industry continuously undermining government efforts to reduce tobacco use and protection of public health.

“Tobacco companies continue to use advertising, sponsorships, and other promotional activities to shape public perception and interfere with policies meant to safeguard citizens, particularly school children and young people,” lamented Mrs. Chitindi.

Earlier, Dr. Mary Assunta is a prominent global expert in tobacco control, currently serving as the Head of Global Research and Advocacy at the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) and a partner in STOP, regretted Zambia scoring 83 points, placing her (Zambia ) at 94th out of 100 countries assessed worldwide,

Equally citing Article 5.3, Dr. Assunta noted that under this UN-WHO-FCTC, governments are compelled to protect tobacco control policies from commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry, particularly under

In Africa, Zambia is ranked at the bottom among the 20 countries surveyed.

Assunta pointed out that delays in passing the TCB have left Zambia without key tobacco control measures already adopted in many African countries.

Assunta said 32 countries have since banned tobacco industry CSR activities, and five (5) countries do not allow government departments to accept contributions from tobacco companies.

African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) Communications Specialist Caleb Ayong cited emerging products; electronic nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes), as posing additional risks to children and adolescents.

Mr. Ayong held a view that Zambia can better protect her school children and young people by adopting stronger tobacco control laws and ensuring that public health policies are protected from tobacco industry influence in line with the UN-WHO-FCTC.

“Tobacco remains a major public health concern in Zambia, with about 26 percent of the population using tobacco products,” Ayong protested.