By Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner WriterTHE PARLIAMENTARY Committee on Human and Social Development will shortly make a decision on whether to recommend more stringent restrictions on sidewalk vendors who sell cigarettes.
At Wednesday's meeting of the Committee, members differed on the question of whether licensing sidewalk vendors to sell cigarettes would be a practical tobacco control measure or merely a meaningless bureaucratic gesture.
The debate was ignited by a written submission from the Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology, which, while acknowledging the contribution of the tobacco industry to the economy, recommended several measures to curb the smoking habit.
Among these, retailers, like wholesalers, would be required to have a licence or a vendor's permit. Wholesalers would be prevented from selling or delivering tobacco to a person who does not have a licence or permit, and permits would not be granted to sidewalk vendors.
Committee Chairman, Dr. Donald Rhodd, argued that, despite the difficulties related to enforcement, sidewalk vendors should be licensed, with an additional requirement that they display prominently, a sign warning of the health risks associated with the smoking habit.
He was supported in that position by Lenworth Blake, Government MP, who suggested that sidewalk vendors may be responsible for most of the cigarettes being sold "and they are probably the ones selling most to children".
This was also the view of Opposition MP Pearnel Charles, who argued against taking the vendors' side on this particular issue, because of the severe health implications.
Dr. Kenneth Baugh of the Opposition argued, on the other hand, that the members may be over-reaching in their zeal to curb the smoking habit. "If we are already having difficulties enforcing the ganja prohibition, how are we going to do so regarding cigarette sales?" he asked.
Furthermore, Dr. Baugh, while upholding the need to discourage smoking, pointed to the potential contradiction inherent in having one parliamentary committee looking favourably at easing existing restrictions on ganja smokers while going in the other direction in respect of those who smoke cigarettes.
Dr. Patrick Harris, also representing the Government, echoed those sentiments, arguing that by introducing such stringent prohibition, the country faced the danger of creating the conditions for a black market in the product to thrive. "Don't over burden the system; make it simple," he advised.
According to the Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica, the tobacco industry produced 1,050,340,000 tons of cigarettes and 36,000 tons of cigars in 2002. The Ministry of Finance estimated tax revenue of $2 billion from the Cigarette Company of Jamaica in 2002/2003.
