RECPHEC

Nepal signed the FCTC treaty on 3rd December 2003. Finally, Nepalese government ratified FCTC on 7th November 2006 after continuous pressure from various NGOs and civil societies. After ratification of FCTC, the government drafted Tobacco Control Law in collaboration with RECPHEC.

 

As the commitment made by the government to table much awaited Tobacco Control Law in this summer session and the commitment made by all leading political parties to immediately pass the law from the parliament, the much awaited Act for Regulation and Prohibition of the Tobacco Products, 2064 draft has been finally tabled at the Parliament Secretariat on 3rd January 2010.

The proposed law clearly mentioned about prohibition on the use of tobacco and smoking, non-smoking or tobacco free zone: public places including hotel, restaurant, motels, institute, office, sports complex and any places of public gathering will be smoke free, regulation on production or the use of tobacco products; label, trademark, wrapper and packing, submission of particulars, information of health warning, ban on advertisement and sponsorship, restriction on sale and distribution & offence and punishment and also it has provision of progressive health tax in addition to regular revenue charge

In order to bring comprehensive tobacco control law and its effective implementation continued lobby and pressure the concerned authorities by civil societies are still very much important tasks and challenges. RECPHEC has been taking a key initiative in developing anti-tobacco network at the central and district levels advocating on a variety of health issues and anti-tobacco campaign.

 
RECPHEC is continuously pressurizing the government for the enactment of Tobacco Control Law with collective action of media group and strength of its 48 Health Rights and Tobacco Control (HRTC) district network with more than 700 NGOs and community based groups. It has been able to develop working relation with government, strong and committed group of media was organized and strengthened district networks. The level of public awareness has been raised and GOs/NGOs and other institutions have already declared tobacco free zones.