Jamaica: church welcomes ban on smoking; raises concern about vehicle smoke emissions
July 8, 2013…Mandeville, Jamaica….Nigel Coke/IAD
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica has joined the many government, non-government organizations and individuals on the announcement by Health Minister Dr. Fenton Ferguson of the ban on smoking as of July 15, 2013.
Dr. Milton Gregory, health ministries director for the church in Jamaica, is bringing awareness to the vehicle smoke emissions polluting the air throughout the country. Images by Nigel Coke/IAD
The ban will be enforced in all enclosed places, public transportation, workplaces, government buildings, health facilities, sports, athletics and recreational facilities, educational facilities, areas specifically for use by children, and places of collective use such as bus stops.
While the Adventists welcome the legislation to ban smoking in public places, they are concerned about the level of smoke emission that comes from some vehicles which are equally harmful and detrimental to human beings and the environment with its various toxic chemicals.
“We commend the government on this long awaited move,” said Dr. Milton Gregory, health ministries director for the church in Jamaica. “The ban on smoking is a huge step in the right direction of having the health and well-being our society put at the fore-front of nation building, but they (the government) need to go further.”
“Now is the time for the powers that be to enforce the 1938 Road Traffic Act, Section 43 (2) which made it an offense for an individual having control of a motor vehicle should not permit “any unreasonable amount of smoke to escape” from such vehicle. In addition, there is a punitive fee to be paid by individuals found guilty of committing this offense,” added Dr. Gregory.
Students of a prominent secondary school in Mandeville, Jamaica display their anti-smoking placards after their march on No Tobacco Day, May 31, 2012.
Every day, thousands of Jamaicans breathe heavily polluted air, which is filled with poisonous vehicular smoke emissions consisting of pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended sulfates, sulfur dioxide, nitrates, lead, dirt and soot.
Dr. Gregory added that one solution would be for more testing. “Ten sites in the corporate area just not enough to cope with the volume of motor vehicles that crowd our busy streets daily,” he added.
Alternative fuels should be considered in looking for best practices in terms of air quality management in an effort to keeping individuals and environment healthy, according to Gregory.
The church throughout Jamaica has been coordinating marches and conducting seminars in churches, schools and civic entities on the deadly effects of tobacco smoke and emissions from motor vehicles, according to Dr. Gregory. Next month, church leaders and experts will be training smoking cessation facilitators in Jamaica.
For information on the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica, click here