Bill to authorize the president of the Republic to ratify the protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products was adopted by the parliament. Read below, the entirety of the government Explanatory statement.

This bill seeks to authorize the president of the Republic to ratify the protocol to eliminate illicit trade in Tobacco products.

It has indeed been observed that despite the many operations carried out by the various public services, particularly customs, smuggled cigarettes are circulating in our country. This trade, which is both national and international, makes tobacco products more accessible and affordable and endangers the health of the people by exposing them to tobacco epidemic. It also causes significant tax losses and contributes to the financing of transnational criminal activities.

To address this theat, in addition to its frawork convention on tobacco control (FCTC) ratified by Cameroon in 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted on 12 November 2012, the protocol to eliminate illicit trade in Tobacco Products, pursuant to the provisions of article 15 of the framework Convention.

This protocol aims to secure the supply chain by establishing a global tracking and tracing regime composed of national and/or regional control systems and a global focal point for information exchange. Tracing control spans from cultivation to the transportation, manufacture, storage and distribution of tobacco. These measure are designed to prevent, dissuade and detect illicit trade in tobacco.

It is composed of 47 (forty-seven) articles, grouped in three sections relating to the prevention of illicit trade (articles 6 to 13), the definition of illicit acts and sanctions (articles 14 to 19) and cooperation in technical, administrative and legal matters (articles 20 to 31).

By combating the illicit sale of tobacco products, Cameroon will derive a three fold benefit regarding the health of people, especially the youth and most disadvantaged, who are more exposed and who constitute the majority of tobacco product consumers, tax revenues that could increase by eliminating smuggling, and national security.

In addition, ratification of this protocol will enable the country to benefit from  international multisectoral assistance in this regard.

such is the purport of this bill tables before parliament for consideration.