Since the beginning of the year grade 5-7 pupils from various primary schools across the country have been working on creative artwork in the form of murals on how tobacco influences their school environment and why quitting tobacco makes one a winner.
Dr Sharon Nyatsanza, deputy director of the National Council Against Smoking, said making school-going children aware of health risks and the importance of being in smoke-free environment at a young age will make them “better prepared for peer pressure and temptation”.
Nyatsanza said tobacco is far more than just a health issue, it’s hazardous to the planet. Despite the environmental damage done by the tobacco industry to the environment with 15-billion cigarette butts tossed on the country’s streets, the industry had not been held accountable by governments. The cleaning campaign is rolling out in conjunction with a school education campaign launched earlier this year. Cleanup initiatives around participating schools are taking place throughout the week.
Nyatsanza said: “It’s clear the tobacco industry should clean up their mess. The tobacco industry is making profits by destroying the environment and needs to be held accountable for the environmental destruction and made to pay for the waste and damages, including to recover the cost of collecting these wastes. We call on government to compel tobacco companies to use only biodegradable filters and to bear the full cost of management and disposal of cigarette waste.
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