NCD Alliance urges FG to incorporate tax structures on cigarettes

The Non-Communicable Disease Alliance of Nigeria (NCD Alliance Nigeria) has urged the federal government to intensify efforts to incorporate the tax structure on cigarettes.

The group, in a statement signed by the President, Dr. Sonny Kuku said the government should include the excise duty on cigarettes, which is inline with the established global practices and recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO/FCTC).

They charged the government to enforce its plans for the full implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and other subsidiary tobacco control legislations, which according to them would protect citizens from the devastating health and economic consequences of tobacco use.

The group, who commended the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole for facilitating the implementation of the new excise duty on tobacco products and alcohol, said the decision was laudable and imperative in the country as, tobacco and alcohol contributes to the increased risk of developing Non-communicable diseases, which includes diabetes, cancers, heart diseases and chronic obstructive diseases of the lungs.

They noted that the increase in excise duty demonstrates the federal government’s commitment’ to meeting its treaty obligations under the FCTC, Article 6, which seeks to use taxation as a measure to reduce the demand for tobacco products.