WHO wants full Zimbabwe ban on tobacco adverts

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for a ban on sponsorship in Zimbabwe to prevent young people from starting to smoke.

This comes shortly after a research report claimed that almost 2 in every 10 children aged between 13 and 15 in Zimbabwe were smoking.

The Zimbabwe Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) research was commissioned by the ministry of Health and Child Care and carried out by a team led by Shungu Munyati of the University of Zimbabwe.

WHO said that sophisticated marketing techniques were ensnaring young people through fashion magazines, films, the internet, and by concerts and sporting events.

WHO country representative David Okello said Zimbabwe should look at ways of monitoring and regulating advertisements and sponsorship from tobacco companies.