Botswana plans to act against underage smoking

Botswana plans to introduce a new law requiring the licensing of retailers that sell cigarettes, according to a StarAfrica story citing an African Press Agency report.

Ephraim Rapalai, a Ministry of Health environmental health officer, said that the licensing requirement was included in the proposed Tobacco Control Bill.

The officer said Botswana’s biggest challenge was the prevalence of underage smoking and that the ministry hoped the proposed legislation would address this and other challenges relating to tobacco.

One of the other major challenges facing tobacco control concerned the illegal trade, he said. Trying to control that was a mammoth task.