Kenya: State Urged to Enforce Tobacco Act

Source from:  The Star  05/23/2013

Players in the Tobacco Industry have asked government to ensure there are proper smoking zones in the country saying the current ones do not meet specified requirements.

Speaking at Safari Park Hotel during a 'No To Tobacco's takeholders meeting yesterday, Vincent Kimosop from International Institute for Legislative Affairs said the government has done little to enforce the Tobacco Control Act.

He said article 35 of the Act says "a specifically designated smoking area shall be a room that is ventilated in such manner as to ensure that air from the area is directly exhausted to the outside and does not re-circulate or drift to other areas within the public facility; which is separate, enclosed and sealed from the floor to the roof with a door in which non-smoking individuals do not have to enter the area for any purpose while smoking is occurring and that is cleaned or maintained only when smoking is not occurring in the area".

Kimosop cited examples of the smoking zones on Koinange Street near Holy Family Basilica and Uhuru Park which he said are not up to standard. Enditem