Table 2.

Zimbabwe’s 2015 tobacco control policies in relation to FCTC measures to reduce demand for tobacco

FCTC Article [60]	Zimbabwe’s tobacco control policies & activities	Zimbabwe’s practice
Article 6: Price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco	• Tax is 45 % of the retail price of cigarettes. [111]	• Tobacco growers and leaf buyers are also taxed [22].
Article 8: Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke	• 3 smoke-free public places: health care institutions; non-University educational facilities; and public transport [68]. • Fine of Z$500, imprisonment or both for violators [112].	• No/scant enforcement for passive smoking laws-Ministry of Health [113].
Article 9: Regulation of the contents of tobacco products	• No regulations identified.
Article 10: Regulation of tobacco product disclosures	• Statutory Instrument 264, sec 7 • “Every tobacco product shall bear accurate information on the percentage of the tar and nicotine content and any other ingredients…visible on the package [61].”
Article 11: Packaging and labeling of tobacco products	• Brand descriptors (e.g.,“light,” “low tar”) allowed [9, 56]. • 20 % of cigarette package must be covered by health warning [9, 56, 63]. • Packaging must contain one of three health warnings [61].	• Inexpensive, single stick cigarette sales are lucrative marketing strategy in Africa [114, 115] aimed at low income, low education, and young smokers [114]. • Smuggled single stick packages create tobacco control challenges for surrounding countries [74] • BAT-Z accused of selling cigarettes without Zimbabwe’s prescribed warnings [116].
Article 12: Education, communication, training and public awareness of tobacco control issues	• No mass education campaigns implemented between 2012-2014 [56, 68]. • World No Tobacco Day has been celebrated in Zimbabwe since 2013 [117, 118].	• Government officials minimize risk of tobacco use [34, 53]. • No whole population media anti-smoking messages [63, 111].
Article 13: Comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship	• No direct or indirect bans on tobacco advertising, promotion or sponsorship [56, 68], (except,visual entertainment) [9, 56]. • Promotional events are only allowed for adults [61]. • No bans on free cigarette distribution, promotional discounts, sponsored events, or corporate social responsibility activities [56].	• Savanna Tobacco Co. sponsored Miss Zimbabwe contest [70], Zimbabwe’s signature musician, Oliver Mtukudzi [71], local soccer teams [72, 73], and proposed $10 million donation for Harare stadium to be named after its Pacific brand [69]. • 63–77 % of youth exposed to tobacco advertising and 69–86 % exposed to brand names at sports events [82]. • Tobacco marketing in Zimbabwe--more aggressive than in high income countries [119].
Article 14: Demand reduction measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation.	• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (sold with prescription) and/or some smoking cessation services available; costs not covered [68]. No national quitline [111].