NTCA laments death of 28,000 tobacco users in Nigeria

….urges stiffer measures against the usage of snuff and shisha

Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) yesterday lamented the death of no fewer than 28,000 Nigerians due to the usage of Tobacco products annually.

NTCA led by Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi at a press conference in Abuja remarked that it is unfortunate that the tobacco industry has continued to mask tobacco’s real identity as a disease -and death-maker.

Oluwafemi alleged that the refusal by the tobacco industry to comply with the requirement to have graphic or pictorial health warnings on the packaging of tobacco products as prescribed by the national tobacco control Act 2015 and the national tobacco control regulations 2019 remains one of the ways it has continually made tobacco products appealing to Nigerians.

Oluwafemi disclosed that findings from a recent survey by NTCA in Ekiti, Adamawa, Cross River, Abia, Abuja and Kano states indicate that tobacco products such as snuff and shisha popular with the youths have no graphics health warnings and still carry outdated text warnings.

Oluwafemi who acknowledged that there is a significant increase in the compliance level on cigarette packs maintained that the compliance level of shisha and snuff is still below 10 percent.

He thereby called on the Nigeria Police Force. Federal Ministries of Health and Environment, the National Security and Civil Defense Corps and all agencies charged with monitoring and enforcing the National Tobacco Control Act to wake up to their responsibilities.

He added: “Also, policy implementation cannot continue to be centered in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Lagos. A good policy is not only good for urban centres.

“There is a need to take enforcement of the graphic health warnings policy in Nigeria’s hinterlands to ensure compliance. We note that it is possible that non-compliant products may be moved far inland where enforcement is low or non-existent.

“The FCCPC, Federal Ministry of Health and Standards Organisation of Nigeria should take principal note of the quality of graphic images being used on tobacco products.

“Many tobacco products in the markets carry blurry Pictorial warnings. This is a ploy by tobacco companies to reduce the shock value and weaken the effectiveness of graphic health warnings.”