By Mohamed Kamara

Everything about President Bio’s governance is strange to the average Sierra Leonean. The introduction of new laws sometimes depicting a western system. It is extremely difficult at times especially the mood of the people takes a different look.

He introduces a bill to become an act with all reasonable evidences that the habit of smoking is not the habit of drinking water that saves life. The habit of smoking having proved from medical research seriously damage some part of the system which causes death to its users and worst of all non-users.

This is no western vice, it is purely human and humans could be discriminated by distance but not differences in the physical composition of humanity. Medical records shows that the health consequences of tobacco reads to be of priority to governments to press laws intended to discourage the habit of smoking. But, while the act itself is timely, it needs serious public propagation before we begin to see improvements.

In situations like this, we are expecting the Ministry of Health to dispatch teams in populated areas to sensitize the general public, utilize the electronic and print media for a number of weeks, publish jungles, if possible organize a public rally with banners for weeks and decrying smoking, print banners at public places, support Anti-Tobacco organizations, sensitize in schools and colleges. Introduce punitive actions on smokes in working places. Separate smokes from non-smokers in bars. This, when implemented at least for weeks could be a better solution for smokers, Tobacco causes stress especially when without it but its just human habits which can be amended in many ways.