Baby lost with bath water

The Ethiopian parliament on Tuesday passed what is thought to be the most stringent tobacco-and-nicotine control legislation in Africa, according to a story in The Premium Times.

The Food and Medicine Administration Proclamation, which was passed unanimously by parliament, will require public places and work places to be tobacco-smoke free.

The new law will restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products.

It will ban tobacco advertising and promotions, and require graphic health warnings to be applied to 70 per cent of the front and back of all tobacco products.

And it will prohibit tobacco sales to anyone under the age of 21.

In addition, the law will ban the sale of heated tobacco products, electronic cigarettes and shisha.