DILI, 18 april 2024 (TATOLI) – The Council of Ministers, on wednesday, instructed the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and the Minister for the Interior to set up joint teams to carry out control and inspection actions to combat the smuggling and counterfeiting of tobacco products.
This measure considers the importance of guaranteeing the safety and quality of products, both food and non-food, and aims to combat the smuggling and counterfeiting of tobacco products.
“The main objectives are to ensure the protection of public health, guarantee compliance with the applicable legal and regulatory standards, and guarantee the payment of taxes and duties owed by economic agents,” said in a statement.
Timorese are among the highest tobacco users in the world. Among the adults, 71% males and 29 percent females use tobacco in any form – smoked (e.g. cigarettes) and/or smokeless (e.g. Songhe). Nine out of 10 adults are exposed to second-hand smoke at home. Non-Communicable Diseases including cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the top ten causes of mortality. Timor-Leste is among the TB high-burden countries.
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (2019) conducted among school children aged 13-15 years old, shows an overall alarmingly high tobacco prevalence of 30.9 percent among adolescents, 42 percent among boys, and 21% among girls. 67 percent of students are exposed to second-hand smoke at home. Nearly 71 percent were exposed to tobacco smoke at public places. Youth have easy access to cigarettes.
Approximately 63 percent of smokers bought cigarettes from a store, shop, street vendor, or kiosk. Around 49 percent were not prevented from purchasing, despite being minors. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (2019) also had some encouraging indications. The overall prevalence of tobacco product use has decreased from 42.4 percent in 2013 to 30.9 percent in 2019, and the overall prevalence of current cigarette smokers also decreased from 35 percent in 2013 to 22.5 percent in 2019.
Over 270,000 of the Timorese population smoke cigarettes every day, the majority of whom are young people between 13 and 35 years old.
Cigarette smoking cost Timor-Leste more than US$64 million every year. Tobacco kills more than 700 Timorese people each year.
According to a survey by NATC-TL, about 95% of cigarettes are sold loose and cost only 25 cents.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
