After seven years of planning and intense work from the Ministry of Health, the National Assembly of Benin has unanimously adopted, on 14 September 2017, a new tobacco control law consistent with the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) that will regulate production, processing, packaging, sale and use of all tobacco products and its derivatives. The law is giving the government a new tool to reinforce its legislation with 46 articles aiming at counteracting tobacco’s impact on Benin citizens’ health and environment.
The legislation is providing articles for the protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, as per Article 8 of the WHO FCTC, by prohibiting smoke in closed but also open public spaces. Tobacco use is even prohibited within a distance of 500 meters from any school, health institutions, sports facility, cultural and administrative infrastructures.
The new bill also contains provisions on packaging and labelling, requiring implementing pictorial health warnings on all tobacco products as recommended in Article 11 of WHO FCTC. Furthermore, to limit interaction between the tobacco industry, the public and official representatives, a tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship ban (Article 13 of WHO FCTC) as well as criminal provisions have been introduced especially concerning public authorities representatives willing to collaborate with the tobacco industry and therefore harming public health policy.
The measures are in line with the recommendations jointly made by the Government of the Republic of Benin and the Convention Secretariat following the international needs assessment mission carried out in the country in November 2015, as well as with the post-needs assessment assistance provided to the country by the Convention Secretariat. The government of Benin has been an active stakeholder in the implementation of the WHO FCTC since its ratification on 3 May 2005 and is demonstrating firm commitment for a tobacco free society.