Abstract

Existing data indicate a tobacco epidemic of the first order in Africa, but the rapid increase in tobacco consumption continues. This situation justifies the current project by Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC), an initiative of IDRC and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. RITC has launched an initiative to identify the critical determinants of tobacco control in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative will enable 12 African countries including Cameroon to undertake a baseline evaluation of tobacco use, the economics of tobacco production and any policies relevant to tobacco control. Based on the findings of the baseline study, the Cameroonian team chose as its priority to strengthen the regulations against smoking in public places in the region of Mfoundi (Yaoundé), mainly because smoke-free spaces are the only way to protect nonsmokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. It is also a way to help smokers quit. The research team will evaluate the application of regulations forbidding the consumption and sale of tobacco in public spaces in the city, strengthen the capacity of those involved in their application, and promote public support for smoke-free public spaces in Cameroon.

Recipient Institution(s)