Nigeria still lags behind in tobacco control measures

• Coalition faults partnership in industry

While Nigeria has signed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which aims to reduce substance use, the country still lacks specific regulations and guidelines for the product.

Currently, the regulation of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) products in Nigeria is fragmented and unclear among multiple government agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Federal Ministry of Health, and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, who made the disclosure yesterday at the fourth Harm Reduction Exchange in Nairobi, Kenya, stated that while Nigeria is still foot-dragging, Kenya and Ghana had taken the bull by the horns.

Ike-Muonso, who joined the summit virtually, spoke on ‘Integrating Harm Reduction into Public Policies/Cost of Smoking’ He said: “Kenya has implemented a number of policies and regulations to reduce the harm of THR use, including – Tobacco Control Act 2007: This Act requires graphic health warnings on e-cigarette packages, and bans smoking in public places; Tobacco Control Regulations 2014 – these regulations cover aspects such as THR and PREPs’ product packaging, smoke-free environments, and reducing tobacco industry interference. Tobacco Control Policy – this policy is aligned with the Constitution of Kenya and the Kenya Vision 2030. It also considers the harm PREPs’ use causes to individuals and society.”

On the aspect of ‘THR Regulatory Environment: Product Classification’, he said the Nigerian Tobacco Control Act does not effectively differentiate between combustible and non-combustible cigarettes, adding that the current regulations focus on tobacco control in general, without specific provisions that distinguish between combustible and non-combustible products like e-cigarettes.

For product taxation and pricing, he said: “The Nigerian government does not apply differential taxes to promote THR products over traditional cigarettes. Ideally, THR products considered are taxed like combustible cigarettes.”

RELATEDLY, the ongoing partnership between the industry, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), universities, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) has allegedly been undermining public health.

Zikora Ibeh of the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), at a press conference yesterday on behalf of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), said the development was in breach of provisions of Section 18 of the NTCA Act, 2015.

NTCA, in conjunction with CAPPA, explained that the law prohibits the tobacco industry from influencing public health policies, forming partnerships with public institutions, or engaging in youth initiatives disguised as corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.

It contended that such partnership was not only tantamount to promoting image of the tobacco industry, but also capable of luring vulnerable youths to patronise theirs products considered injurious to their well-being.