Today, the Chamber of Senators will deal with point 4, the bill for the “Protocol for the elimination of illicit trade in tobacco products”.
The protocol establishes measures against infractions, addresses the responsibilities and payments related to seizures, as well as the disposal of confiscated products. It also seeks to promote international cooperation, with measures on the exchange of information, technical cooperation and law enforcement, mutual assistance of a legal and administrative nature, and extradition.
It should be noted that illegal tobacco trafficking is one of the most important scourges in the country’s border area. Customs and Ports are the institutions that are most affected by this situation. The volume of production and commercialization are much higher than the seizures that are made.
VIEGAS
João Ricardo Viegas, a political scientist and lawyer from Brazil, expressed in an interview with channel 5Días that the adoption of the international protocol will not only bring opportunities for Paraguay but also get involved in a global system of traceability of control systems for tobacco products. .
“It is essential that all parties are integrated into the process so that information can be exchanged between the police and Customs. To have the ability to deal with corruption and smuggling. It is a problem that is accentuated in our region”, he commented.
According to data from the Brazilian Federal Police, 20% of the illegal tobacco trade that takes place in the neighboring country comes from Paraguay. When asked about how this scourge can be combated, he pointed out that with the protocol it will be possible to work more forcefully for some processes such as traceability (knowing if the products are legal or illegal). And it will also serve to strengthen the laws that serve to act in the processes.
“It is essential to review the processes. For example, a person sees that there is a very low risk of smuggling. So, if stronger laws are put in place, there is stronger control of relationships and if there is an exchange of information, it can be guaranteed that people do not start that process, ”he said.
TOBACCO IN PARAGUAY
According to data from the Ministry of Health, an average of 300,000 deaths attributable to tobacco are registered in Paraguay each year; Among the associated pathologies, the following were identified: 89,782 people with heart disease, 76,095 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 56,633 with lung cancer and 56,227 with other cancers, according to a study carried out by the Institute of Clinical and Health Effectiveness (IECS).
The same study indicates that among the deaths related to passive smoking, 43,628 deaths were evidenced, 33,112 due to stroke and 23,676 linked to pneumonia.
Regarding the number of people who fell ill for reasons attributable to tobacco, the following were recorded: 910,771 cases of COPD, 730,418 cardiac cases, 245,738 pneumonias, 184,120 strokes, 62,876 cases of lung cancer and 99,151 due to other cancers.
