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| Baziwelo Zakeyo |
The Drug Fight Malawi says football sponsorship by Nyasa Tobacco Manufacturing Company and all related tobacco and alcohol manufacturing companies is against the fight to end tobacco and alcohol consumption among youth in the country.
The institution made the remarks in Lilongwe when making a call requesting the local football governing body Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to support Big Bullets and all other football clubs to find an alternative source of funding.
Executive Director for Drug Fight Malawi, Nelson Baziwelo Zakeyo said the institution does not welcome the recent football sponsorship signing agreement by Nyasa Tobacco Manufacturing Company with Big Bullets.
The institution consider the signing as a deliberate and well orchestrated strategy to market cigarette products and increase in take of the product by children.
He said; "Drug Fight Malawi would like to express its deep concern an fear of an increase in tobacco use by children and youths in the country following the recent sponsorship agreement between our popular football club, the Big Bullets and the Nyasa Tobacco Manufacturing Company as reported in the media of 4th November, 2015 that FIFA has made clearance permitting tobacco sponsorship of the football club."
Baziwelo Zakeyo made it a point that Drug Fight Malawi considers the tobacco sponsorship of the Big Bullets team as deliberate and well-over-orchestrated strategy of the Nyasa Tobacco manufacturing Company to market its products and increase tobacco consumption among children.
"This is sharp contradiction to the healthy lifestyle of sports as espoused by FIFA. Tobacco sponsorship of football clubs is also in conflict with Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) No. 3 which ensures healthy lives and promotes well-being for all at all ages.” he noted
He emphasised; “While acknowledging that tobacco is Malawi’s top forex earner, it is not in order to promote for the use of tobacco that would in turn see children using the product. The promotion of tobacco use will turn our own children into users and life smokers, hence dooming their future.
It is against this background that this organization is calling upon FAM and all other concerned officials in the country to work with not only Big Bullets but also all other sporting institutions to find alternative sponsors that would have no dangerous strings hidden.” he said
But Zakeyo said Drug Fight Malawi finds no fault on any assistance that cigarette manufacturers or any related company provides through corporate social responsibility to schools or hospitals.
Drug Fight Malawi works against use of tobacco, Marijuana, harmful alcohol consumption, and other related drugs of abuse.
Tobacco use is one of the greatest public health challenges facing the world today. The tobacco epidemic is spreading at an unprecedented rate, leading to nearby 6 million deaths globally each year from lung cancer, heart disease and other tobacco related illnesses and causing the death of one in ten adults. By 2030, it is estimated that tobacco related diseases will be the leading cause of death in Africa.
In Malawi, more than 26% of men and 7% of youth smoke tobacco. As an important risk factor for non-communicable diseases, tobacco use is aggravating these conditions in Malawi where already 1 in 3 (33%) adults aged 25 years and above is hypertensive.
