Tobacco consumption results in lung cancer, high blood pressure, pneumonia and stroke, otherwise known as Cerebrovascular accident, whose growing incidence is adding to the list of several chronic and fatal illnesses in Botswana. Second-hand smoking has also been found to be a serious health risk, especially to non-smokers. In addition to the real and present health hazard that tobacco consumption poses, it also contributes to poor nutrition and impoverishment at family level because addicts will take - by any means necessary - the last pula to satisfy their craving. The tobacco levy comes five years after introduction of the alcohol levy which, it was announced last week, has collected P1,2 billion over the last 12 months. When it was introduced, the alcohol levy, we were told, was intended to curb alcohol consumption and abuse by making it difficult for people to access the toxic beverages.
However, it has turned out that the excessive - even extortionate - alcohol prices have not acted as a deterrent as had been hoped. As a matter of fact, all indications are that the situation has worsened.
