Kampala, May 30, 2014: Uganda’s Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has reiterated the commitment of the Ministry of 
Health to supporting the tobacco control Bill, 2014, currently before the Parliamentary Committee of Health. Hon. Rugunda was on the morning of May 30 officiating at the celebrations to mark World No Tobacco Day, held at the MoH Complex gardens. The day, marked globally on May 31, is celebrated this year under the theme; Raise tobacco taxes, lower deaths and disease.
Speaking to stakeholders and a cross section of the media, Hon, Rugunda
said that his ministry is supporting the bill because it promotes the right to health, protecting both the current and future generations from the devastating effects of tobacco.
some of the stakeholders that participated in WNTD celebrations in Uganda
He said the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the other Tobacco Control Crusaders, join President Museveni to encourage farmers to adopt alternative crops to tobacco, both for their own safety and for purposes of getting out of poverty. The call, made by the President during a recent visit in Koboko District, Northern Uganda, followed a complaint by the tobacco farmers in the area that they were receiving peanuts from tobacco growing while the tobacco industry is exploiting them and getting enormous profits.
The WHO Country Representative to Uganda, (WR) Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu hailed the Government of Uganda and its Partners for the efforts put in to control tobacco in the country. In a statement read for him by Mr. Collins Mwesigye, the WR urged the government to annually raise tobacco taxes so as to consolidate the benefits so far attained in tobacco control. He said WHO estimates that if countries increase tobacco taxes by 50% per pack, governments would earn an extra US$101 billion in global revenue, funds which can be used to advance health and other social programs. He said that most importantly, raising tobacco taxes would increase prices of the product, consequently discouraging young people from taking up smoking and existing users to either reduce their use or quit altogether.
Dr. Shiela Ndyanabangi, the MoH Tobacco Control Focal Person told stakeholders that a tobacco control policy has been developed to support the implementation of the Bill, adding that while the Bill does not ban tobacco farming, the policy proposes strategies to guide farmers to transit to alternatives.
CTCA’s Manager, Dr. Possy Mugyenyi stressed that the Tobacco Control Bill 2014 does not ban tobacco growing but is instead 
seeks to protect the public, especially none smokers, from the effects of second hand smoke. He revealed that of the six million deaths attributed to tobacco globally, 600,000 of these are nose users, mainly women and children, who do not chose to smoke,deaths which can be avoided. He said in Uganda, the rate of tobacco use among the youth both in and out o school is increasing, and is at 17.3%, adding that this is worrying trend that will escalate the NCD epidemic.