World No Tobacco Day: WHO Calls For Ban On Tobacco Use In Nigeria
As countries commemorate World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization, WHO, has advocated ban on Tobacco use in Nigeria
WHO said it is desirous of a tobacco-free Nigeria and for its products to be completely banned in the nation.
The Country Representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Mulombo, made the feeling of the organisation known at a press conference in Abuja on Friday to mark the 2024 World No Tobacco Day.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is, “Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference”.
He maintained that everyone can work toward ensuring that future generation is free from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine addiction.
Mulombo said, “I dream of the day when tobacco products will be banned in Nigeria, not allowed to be sold or bought.”
He also said that the tobacco industry must be held accountable for the harm caused to health, the environment and the economy.
According to him, “tobacco is responsible for more than eight million deaths annually, with more than seven million of the deaths being results of direct tobacco use, while around 1.2 million non-smokers die from exposure to second-hand smoke.
“A recently released report by WHO termed ‘Hooking the Next Generation’ showed that an estimated 37 million children aged 13 to 15 years use tobacco, and in many countries, the rate of e-cigarette use among adolescents exceeds that of adults.
“The report also indicated that most adults who use tobacco started when they were children or young adults, with lifetime users most likely to become hooked before the age of 21 years.
“This indicates that the industry targets youths for a lifetime of profits, creating a new wave of addiction.”
The Country Representative also disclosed that the range of products the industry used to appeal to youths has expanded significantly, from cigarettes, cigarillos and shisha to newer products like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches.
He further informed that flavoured products and additives, sleek designs and child-friendly packaging and imagery, made addictive products even more appealing to youths.
“Companies rapidly launch new products that sidestep, or are not included, in current laws, and use every available means to expand their market share before regulations can catch up with them.
“Unfortunately, these tactics are working. Evidence from around the world shows an alarming uptake by children of some products, such as e-cigarettes.
“The tobacco industry is succeeding in its efforts to create a new generation of young people who smoke, vape, suck nicotine pouches or use snuff.”
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, who spoke on the situation in Nigeria, revealed that the 2012 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) showed that 4.5 million Nigerians 15 years and older are currently using tobacco products, of which, 3.1 million are smokers.
The Minister represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, hinted that the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) conducted in 2008 across five states in Nigeria shows the prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents aged 13 to 15 years, ranging from 13.1 per cent to 23.3 per cent in Lagos State and Cross River.
The Minister also intimated that the consequences of tobacco industry interference on children’s health were profound and far-reaching, leading to a host of adverse health outcomes.
These, according to him, include respiratory ailments, cognitive impairment and increased susceptibility to addiction later in life.
He further noted that exposure to secondhand smoke poses significant threat to children’s well-being, exacerbating the risk of respiratory infections, asthma and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
“Exposure to tobacco smoke also goes as far as exposing children in uterus, even before they are given birth to.
“Exposure of the mother to tobacco smoke can cause poor birth outcomes and affect lung, cardiovascular and brain development of the baby
