Namibia joined a large number of countries that undertook to regulate smoking. The Tabacco Control Act has been promulgated but has not come into force. Although smokers and non-smokers have been talking a lot about it, it is mostly restaurants that became concerned about the impact it will have on there businesses.
It is clear that the Regulations which has not been published yet will be a corner stone for the implementation of the Act. A positive point in development of law in Namibia is the fact that draft regulations must be published and the public will be invited to comment during a period of three months before the regulations will be accepted. This means that the Tobacco Control Act will not come into force in the near future.
I hope that this Act will not follow the "new" Criminal Procedures Act" or "new" Companies Act and many more that has been promulgated but of which the coming into force depends on never ending struggle to ensure that the implementation will be practical possible - if that is the delay in the coming into force of it.
Be that as it may, the Tobacco Control Act does not permit a "smokers corner" in a restaurant, bar or place entertainment or at the work place. So we probably will see the smokers taking off to the streets, once the Act comes into force. I just hope they take their ashtrays with them.
