70% of Zambian youths smoke before age 13 – Tobacco Control advocates
NEARLY 70 percent of Zambia’s young population pick up smoking before they even reach their teenage years, Tobacco Control Zambia has revealed as it rallies behind the proposed Tobacco Control Bill, 2025.
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Citing the 2021 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, the association warned that tobacco addiction in Zambia is reaching alarming levels with 40 percent of children as young as seven years old having already started smoking.
“Tobacco is not just a public health crisis, it’s an economic disaster. Over 7,000 Zambians die each year from tobacco related illnesses, while the country loses K2.8 billion annually in healthcare costs and reduced productivity. And yet, the industry tells us it is ‘good for the economy,” lamented the advocates.
The Tobacco Control Bill, 2025, backed by the Ministries of Health and Justice aims to regulate tobacco advertising, impose stricter marketing controls and curb the sale of tobacco products near schools and playgrounds.
“This is not about banning tobacco farming or trade. It’s about protecting public health from an industry that preys on young people,” said Tobacco Control Zambia representative Isaac Mwaipopo.
The proposed law aligns Zambia with global anti tobacco efforts, particularly the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) which the country ratified in 2008.
Tobacco Control Zambia accused the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) of spreading false claims that the bill would destroy jobs and increase illicit trade.
“The reality is, strong tobacco regulations actually reduce illicit trade,” they said, citing Kenya’s success in cutting illegal tobacco sales from 15 percent in 2003 to just 5 percent in 2016 after implementing strict laws.
They also pointed to the Big Tobacco Tiny Targets Zambia 2024 survey which found that 99 percent of shops selling cigarettes were located within 100 meters of a school or playground, making it easy for children to access tobacco.
With the bill set to be debated in Parliament, the advocates urged lawmakers to stand firm against tobacco industry pressure.
“Your duty is to the Zambian people not to the tobacco industry. Every year we delay, thousands more lives are lost.”
Zambia remains one of only five African countries yet to enact a comprehensive Tobacco Control Law despite many of its neighbours including Malawi, which depends on tobacco for 65 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) having already done so.
The advocates further expressed confidence in President Hakainde Hichilema who has never smoked nor consumed alcohol in his entire life to prioritise public health over corporate interests.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, March 3, 2025