By Nasratu Kargbo
Following the delay to sign the Nicotine and Tobacco Control Act 2023, the Interreligious Council of Sierra Leone has called on Presidents Julius Maada Bio to sign the Act, stating that the substance has destroyed and continues to destroy the lives of Sierra Leoneans.
Speaking on behalf of the Christian Action Group Rev Muriel Koroma said “We appeal to His Excellency Julius Maada Bio to speedily append his signature to the bill before the close of parliament”, she added that parliament will close very soon.
She continued to emotionally plead that the President signs to reduce the deaths and improve the health of the young generation.
“We look forward to seeing that smoking is banned totally in Sierra Leone in the future,” said Williams. She stated that after all the presentations done by the doctors and other health experts on the hazardous implications of tobacco and nicotine, they as a body wish that the act is banned in the future.
Giving a Christian perspective to the issue, Williams explained that Hebrews 26 in the Bible states that if a person knows that what she/she is doing is wrong and continues to do it, that person will get no grace and that when they die they will go to hell.
She added that there are potential lawyers, doctors, presidents, and MPs amongst other professions that are engaged in this harmful act, stressing that if they are not educated on the effect of these substances, society will be at loss.
Sharing the Islamic perspective on the topic, Sheikh Ibrahim Sesay from Islamic Action Group joined his colleague to appeal for the Presidential assent, noting that Islam does not support anything that destroys life.
Highlighting some of the reasons why Islam frowns at such an act, Sesay said there are hadiths in the Quran that forbid people from using their hands to indulge in things that destroy them. He added that there are verses in the holy book which state that humans should not be wasteful in their resources, stating that persons who waste and destroy resources are considered to be with Satan and are persons that Allah considers to be ungrateful.
He explained that the act is a contributing factor to the destruction of the economy and the country’s human capital.
“If Tobacco and Nicotine contribute to the destruction of the human capital, he should stand against that, and ensure that we put it under control by making sure he signs this bill,” said Sesay.
The Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act was enacted in parliament eight months ago on the 3rd of August 2023. The law seeks to protect smokers and non-smokers, it prohibits public smoking, sending children to purchase the substance, make sales to children amongst others. Penalties are also set to be levied on defaulters.
However, the law is yet to get the much-desired Presidential assent.
Sierra Leone is the 38th country in the WHO African region to have enacted a bill into law to protect its population against the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (24/03/23)
