‘The single cigarette conundrum’ Tobacco control board reacts |20 August 2019

The Seychelles Tobacco Control Board has reacted to a letter by Kannusamy Naidu under the heading ‘The single cigarette conundrum’ which was published in the Seychelles NATION of August 14, 2019.

The following is the Tobacco Control Board’s response to the letter:

“The letter in reference by Kannusamy Naidu includes many unsubstantiated statements and largely echoes false arguments and misrepresentations used by the tobacco industry to undermine tobacco control efforts.

Let us summarise the issue by reminding that the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control is an evidence-based treaty negotiated by public health experts and policy-makers from all countries under the auspices of World Health Organisation.

It explicitly states that the sale of individual cigarettes by units increases the affordability of cigarettes to youth, and Parties shall prohibit the sale of cigarettes individually (Article 16.3).

Seychelles has been a Party to the treaty since 2003, along with 180 other countries, and is committed to implementing its provisions aiming at promoting health of its people.

Single stick cigarette sales facilitate experimentation among youth who have not yet become regular smokers because single sticks are cheaper than a full pack of cigarettes and, consequently, make tobacco more affordable to youth and other individuals with limited resources.

The sale of single sticks also undermines existing effective tobacco control policies by limiting an individual’s exposure to effective health warning labels on cigarette packages and lessening the impact of tobacco tax increases on cigarette packs.

Indeed, several licensed shops have been selling counterfeit or black-market cigarettes in single stick units hence, escaping due taxation.

It is therefore incorrect to state that the measure is not based on a solid rationale, as implied in the letter.

It is also incorrect to state that the private sector was not consulted.

Since the coming into force of the Tobacco Control Act in 2009, the private sector (appointed by SCCI) has been represented on the Board that addresses issues around the Act, with no issue raised on this measure.

Tobacco use has indeed decreased over time in Seychelles, and this public health success has been possible only because government has implemented a number of strong policies in different areas (e.g. ban on smoking in enclosed public places, ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsoring, high tax on tobacco products, meaningful warning labels on tobacco packets, (single sale of cigarette deprive the buyer of the health warnings), ban on sale to minors, awareness campaigns, etc.).

However, the prevalence of smoking is still fairly high in Seychelles and tobacco use is the fifth biggest risk factor for disease in Seychelles.

For example, pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer, which is nearly entirely attributable to direct or second hand smoking, has increased in Seychelles.

The smoking addiction is almost entirely acquired in adolescence and the proportion of smokers among adolescents is worryingly high in Seychelles, as shown by several school-based surveys (GSHS).

Therefore, reducing tobacco use among young people is critically important and banning sales of cigarettes by units is a useful measure to achieve this goal, as repeatedly advocated by the World Health Organisation and as implemented in many countries, including Seychelles.

While it is true that better enforcement would bring results faster, it is also true that many licensed businesses were selling counterfeit or black-market cigarettes in single stick units.

Seychelles prioritises the health of its people over deadly tobacco industry business.

Seychelles Tobacco Control Board