Africa-Press – Gambia. In a move to enforce the Tobacco Control Act, the Non-Communicable Disease Control Unit of the Ministry of Health, together with the police, customs and environment officials. On Saturday conducted a three-day random inspection of supermarkets and mini markets targeting specific tobacco products for compliance.
The inspection covered Banjul, Serekunda, Westfield and Tabokoto.
During the exercise, officials confiscated all tobacco products without proper GRA tags or approved health warning graphics.
Lamin Njie, a senior health official, said inspections will hence forth be conducted quarterly to ensure that there is a smoke-free environment as provided in the law.
He reported that they have seized significant amounts of cigarette products that do not conform with the labeling requirements and some’Sissa’ flavors.
“Smokers may have a right to smoke but the non-smokers equally have a right to a smoke-free environment. So we have to strike a balance to ensure that both parties do not inflict on each other’s right. Pa Samba Bojang, head of enforcement, monitoring and evaluation of the task force, said the team of inspectors would move up country next week.
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