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“Learn to adapt”
– PAHO/WHO Rep. says to “peddlers” of tobacco products
Among the arguments against the Tobacco Control Bill has been that many people are going to lose their livelihood. But according to Dr. William Adu-Krow, the local representative of the Pan American Health Organisation/World
PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow
Health Organisation [PAHO/WHO], people are not likely to lose their livelihood if they adhere to the stipulations of the Tobacco Control legislation once it is passed.
“It is not saying don’t sell tobacco if it is your livelihood, but make sure that it is in packages of 20 cigarettes, and make sure you don’t sell to minors. If you are going to be selling, ensure you are not selling in a school or hospital,” said Dr. Adu-Krow as he questioned “what is this livelihood thing that they are talking about?”
“We are not supporting a ban of tobacco use, we are saying people who want to continue to do that they will have to do that alone; not even in your homes, because you are putting your children and significant spouse at risk….if you are selling, sell it responsibility,” stressed Dr. Adu-Krow.
He however noted that for those who will not be able to adhere to the legislation, they should divert their livelihood focus in order to avoid facing the associated fines and penalties.
“I would encourage everybody who is peddling cigarettes, look at other sustainable livelihoods. People change their professions every day! Some people while here they are doctors [but] when they move to the United States they are something else,” said Dr. Adu-Krow. He recalled, “I had a colleague who was trained as a doctor in Russia but got to the US and couldn’t pass the exam, and started to work as a nurse. So what is this thing that people are saying that they are going to lose their livelihood… adapt, that is why we have the word adapt!”
But according to, Dr. Adu-Krow, it has been shown that the passing of Tobacco Control Bills have always fostered positive and favourable increases in terms of how people feel by a minimum of 25 percent of the population. Dr. Adu-Krow had presented this finding to some local parliamentarians to amplify how Tobacco Control legislation can protect the health and wellbeing of an individual.
According to Dr. Adu-Krow, “many countries, including countries that are lax and more pervasive, and even countries that are strict, on average it is 25 percent of people who feel better after the law is passed.”
He underscored that even though there may be more people arguing against the law after passage, it has been shown conclusively that people have a better feeling of themselves and even a better perception of their environment after the passage of such Bills.
Meanwhile, Dr. Adu-Krow in commenting on concerns raised, said that the local tobacco company, Demerara Tobacco Company, was not consulted ahead of the drafting and eventual passing of the Bill.
But according to the PAHO/WHO Representative, consultation is usually dependent on respective governments. He said that he has witnessed this first hand in quite a few territories. “I was in Solomon Islands when it was passed and I was in Papua New Guinea when it was passed. In Solomon Islands they said it is the law of the land that when these discussions are being held, persons who have interest in that area must be there, so they forced us to have the tobacco company there,” recalled Dr. Adu-Krow.
But he asserted that PAHO/WHO has embraced the firm position that “you should not go to bed with your enemy.” He moreover questioned the wisdom in engaging tobacco companies, since he is convinced that it would always be an exercise in futility.
“How do you sit down to discuss something that conscientiously we can never agree on?” asked the PAHO/WHO Rep. He however asserted, “in this country they [tobacco company] cannot say that they were not consulted, because the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce came with them during some of the consultations. They joined the Chambers of Commerce, so they cannot say they were not consulted.”
But according to Dr. Adu-Krow, “If I had my own way and in accordance with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control [FCTC] statutes, they would not have been there, but every country has its own rules. They were there, so they cannot say that they were not involved in the consultation.”
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