Paulina Quintao – The Health Ministry (MH) has launched a public awareness campaign since the President approved the new tobacco control law on June 2.
The Chief of the Department of Non-infectious Diseases, Dr Helder Juvinal, said they had six months to communicate the law to the wider community before it was formally implemented.
He said although the law had been approved, it had not yet been applied. Planned administrative sanctions have also not been introduced yet.
As part of efforts to raise awareness about the law and the smoking ban in health facilities and public offices, the ministry has placed adverts in newspapers and on billboards.
According to article 25 in the new tobacco control law, the government must establish a national commission to enforce tobacco control and apply the law in public spaces and on public transport.
"We are trying to convince the [political] leaders to create this commission based on the law," he added.
In 2015, the government proposed the tobacco control law, which aims to control the circulation of tobacco products and reduce smoking.
Research has shown that the rise in non-infectious disease such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease is linked to the high rates of tobacco use across the country.
According to 2014 data obtained from the ministry, 71% of men and 29% of women (aged between 15 and 60) smoke cigarettes actively.
Meanwhile, the 2013 Global Youth Tobacco Survey showed that 61% of Timorese youths (aged between 13 and 15) sometimes smoked cigarettes, while 42.4% were actively smoking cigarettes.
Head of the ministry's Legislation Department Claudino Rosario said the new law was about regulating and controlling tobacco use and did not mean there would be a total smoking ban. He said there would be designated smoking areas provided in public offices.
Under article 26 sanctions will apply to those caught smoking in smoke-free zones and those selling cigarettes to minors under the age of 17. Individuals in breach of the new law could be fined up to $50, while employers will face penalties of up to $20,000.
Meanwhile, national MP Antoninho Bianco questioned whether the government's control system would be effective in stopping people smoking, particularly on public transport.
"We have the regulation already, [but] who will take responsibility or control and who will give sanctions for those who smoke in public places?" he said. He urged the government to establish an integrated control mechanism to effectively enforce the new law and reduce the current high rates of smoking.
He said passive smoking has been proven to be harmful to health and therefore called on passengers to make a contribution by asking others to stop smoking on public transport. "The passengers should control one another [and] if the driver keeps smoking then it is better for them to get out of the car," he said.