FDA to prosecute illegal cigarette sellers

The Volta Region Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has seized assorted illegal cigarettes from the Ho Central market.

The cigarettes were Bond Street International and Bond Street Menthol, Bond Green and Bond Red, Rothmans Royals, Gold Seal Red and Gold Seal Green, Business Royal (Strawberry), Business Royal (Cherry), Business Royal (Green Apple), Empire and Godfrey Philips.

Six women from whom the cigarettes were seized would be prosecuted, Eugene Addo Regional Head, FDA told the Ghana News Agency.

Each of the women would be fined 750 penalty units (GHC12.00 penalty unit) or three years in prison or both if found guilty.

They women were Mercy Makumator, Mavis Hadzor, Esinu Zegotia, Grace Addo, Edem Hadjie and Joyce Akorlia.

Addo said previous seizures and warnings seemed not to deter offenders hence the resort to prosecution.

The cigarettes bore labels in Ewe and in some foreign languages except English.

Sections 58 to 77 of Ghana’s Public Health Act, Act 85 of 2012 on tobacco control, however outlaws such cigarettes, Addo said.

A properly labelled cigarette in Ghana must be in English Language warning smokers of the health risks they were taking.

The cigarettes must have the inscription “for sale in Ghana only”.

It is illegal to smoke cigarette in public places in Ghana except in properly designated places.

Ghana is signatory to the international convention on Tobacco control.

Benedicta Akpene Ansah, Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP) Second-in-Command, Ho Municipal Police, assured the FDA of the cooperation of the Police in safeguarding public health.