Search

INTRODUCTION Being the second most populous African country, Ethiopia represents a huge opportunity for the tobacco industry to recruit new smokers. Ethiopia signed the convention to ratify WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2004 and ratified in 2014. We reviewed Ethiopia's tobacco control legislative history pre- and post-ratification of the WHO FCTC and evaluated the level of compliance of the National Tobacco Control Directive (NTCD) with the WHO FCTC. METHODS We reviewed Ethiopia's tobacco legislative history, the NCTD, the National Tobacco Control Strategic Plan, and tobacco control related media stories from 2009 to 2018. The level of compliance of NTCD with WHO FCTC was compared and qualitatively analysed. RESULTS NTCD 2015 is Ethiopia's first comprehensive tobacco control legislation, which for the most part is WHO FCTC compliant. The legislation prohibits, among other things, sale of flavoured tobacco products including menthol, sale of tobacco products to a person under the age of 18 years and bans all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. Yet, the current legislation allows smoking designated rooms in some prohibited places. Although a multi-sectoral National Tobacco Control Committee and a Strategic Plan were developed as per Article 5 of WHO FCTC, activities pertaining to the protection of such tobacco control policies from vested interests of the tobacco industry (WHO FCTC Article 5.3) are not addressed in NTCD 2015. CONCLUSIONS Major gaps in the NTCD 2015 such as allowing smoking designated rooms should be addressed in order to stop the tobacco industry from using such loopholes to interfere with national tobacco control policies and/or maintain its tobacco market. Moreover, the tobacco control policies and efforts should be institutionalized across various sectors in order to ensure implementation of the NTCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The present study's objectives were: 1) assess the knowledge and attitude of pharmacists and pharmacy students regarding smoking/smoking cessation, and 2) document the extent of community pharmacists' involvement in the provision of smoking cessation services in Ethiopia. METHODS This study used cross-sectional and direct observation methods. A series of questionnaires were administered to final-year pharmacy students and practising pharmacists. Two scenarios simulating tobacco use in pregnancy and cardiovascular patients were selected and played by two well-trained simulated patients (SPs). Findings were analysed and presented using mean total scores, analysis of variances and independent sample t-test. RESULTS A total of 410 participants (213 out of 238 pharmacy students, response rate 89.5%; 197 out of 361 pharmacists, response rate 54.6%) completed the survey. Both pharmacy students and practising pharmacists had positive attitudes towards smoking cessation, and both groups had similar mean knowledge scores. A total of 80 simulated visits were conducted. Recipients of training on smoking cessation had significantly higher mean knowledge and attitude scores compared with those who did not receive such training. The majority of the pharmacists demonstrated poor in history-taking practice, and seldom assessed the patients' nicotine dependence level. Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) were supplied in only 10 of the visits and suggested, but not dispensed, in 35 of the visits. On the other hand, pharmacists in 59 visits counselled patients to visit addiction specialists and physicians. CONCLUSIONS The present study revealed the presence of significant clinical knowledge gaps and inadequate skills among pharmacists regarding smoking cessation services. Educating pharmacists about smoking cessation support as part of their continuous professional development and providing a hands-on customised educational intervention, such as practice guidelines in the form of an Ask-Advise-Refer approach, about smoking cessation will be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]