The Uganda Health Communication Alliance (UHCA) has warned that “unregulated” e-cigarettes and tobacco products are increasingly entering Uganda, posing serious public health risks.
Richard Baguma, UHCA’s national coordinator, said the proliferation of these products is driven in part by weak regulatory enforcement and inadequate taxation.
Speaking during a Media Orientation on Tobacco Taxation organised by UHCA, Baguma noted that some products are deliberately designed to evade detection and appeal to young people.
"You find somebody has, for example, an e-cigarette that looks like a lipstick, a cigarette that looks like chocolate, and you can't know. Even those responsible for enforcement or taxation often don’t recognise these products,” Baguma said.
He further highlighted that some foreign traders exploit regulatory gaps, bringing in tax-free and unregulated tobacco products that flood the market.
“Some nationalities bring tobacco products here which are unregulated, don’t pay taxes, and are flooding the market. This must be tackled and condemned,” he said.
Baguma also criticised the lack of funding for tobacco control initiatives in Uganda and called for increased taxes on tobacco products, in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.
“Increasing taxes on tobacco by 70% of the packet price increases government revenue, reduces the health burden, protects our young people, and ensures a safer growing environment. It is myopic for parliamentarians or the Ministry of Finance not to implement these tax increases,” he said.
He stressed the importance of continued advocacy and public education to counter the influence of the tobacco industry, particularly among young people.
“We need to keep our voices going and educate our youth, especially young women, because they are the most aggressively targeted by the tobacco industry. They need to understand the danger,” Baguma added.
The orientation aimed to equip journalists with knowledge on tobacco taxation, its role in public health, and the socio-economic benefits of effective tax policies, while fostering collaboration with the media to promote evidence-based reporting on tobacco control.
