23/04/2026
ZAMBIAS BRENDA CHITINDI RECEIVES UK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR CHAMPIONING HARMFUL TOBBACO USAGE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE
By Tony Nkhoma
THE Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a United Kingdom (UK) based organisation has commended the To***co Free Association of Zambia (TOFAZA) for its efforts in strengthening oversight on harmful to***co use especially among young people.
And the United Kingdom’s To***co and Vapes Bill have been cleared by Parliament and it will formally become law by the end of April 2026.
The Action on Smoking and Health commended Ms Brenda Chitindi who is also the president of the Zambia Heart Stroke Foundation (ZAHEFSO) for her efforts in championing and addressing the growing health, social, and economic burden associated with to***co use, particularly among adolescents and young people.
In a statement issued, Hazel Cheeseman the Chief Executive for Action on Smoking and Health commended Ms Chitindi for supporting her organisation in making representation to the UK Parliamentarians and keep the UK’s To***co and Vapes Bill strong and comprehensive till towards its enaction into law month end of April.
“It has been a long journey from the policy being announced in October 2023, but we are finally there! Much thanks to all our colleagues across the UK who have supported this on its way but of particular note to those outside the UK (Brenda Chitindi, Waseem Janjua, Rachel Devotsu, Celine Awor and Rob Cunningham) who all helped us to make representation to parliamentarians and keep the bill strong and comprehensive,” Ms Cheeseman said.
Ms Cheeseman said the UK’s To***co and Vapes Bill will among others introduce a generational ban on the sale of to***co commencing 1st Jan 2027 .
She explained that this means that those born on or after 1st January 2009 will never legally be sold to***co.
Ms Cheeseman said the Bill will create powers to regulate the branding, promotion, sponsorship, packaging, point of sale, contents and device design of all to***co and ni****ne products.
“ The bill will create an age of sale for all ni****ne products (currently only have one in place for vapes and to***co). The Bill will close loopholes on free distribution and advertising for ni****ne products, extend smokefree powers to some outdoor settings and introduce heated to***co and vape-free spaces powers and create a retail licencing scheme in England and Wales for all to***co and ni****ne products,” she said.
Ms Cheeseman said the new Bill will further create a new registration scheme for all to***co and ni****ne products with pre and post market powers, strengthen enforcement powers and capabilities and provide government with powers to regulate and/or ban cigarette filters.
She said her organisation has also written about the legal position following media coverage and challenges through the parliamentary debate largely emanating from the to***co industry.
Ms Cheeseman said legal challenges are expected but her organisation does not believe they will succeed.
- Zambia Gazettes Post
