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…Urge government to Adopt Sweden’s Tobacco Policy
By Merit Ibe
ValueFronteria Limited and experts have called on the government, public health authorities and stakeholders to consider duplicating Sweden’s tobacco policy to achieve a smoke-free Nigeria.
For the fact that tobacco use remains a public health concern in Nigeria, the stakeholders proffered harm reduction strategies better health.
They made their views recently on the ValueFronteira Roundtable on Achieving a Smoke-Free Nigeria: Learning from Sweden, which brought together key stakeholders, including policymakers, public health experts, media representatives and civil society organizations, to engage in a meaningful dialogue, on building collaborative partnerships to advance harm reduction efforts among others.
Themed: Examining THR measures: The impact of Harm Reduction strategies on smoking cessation, the stakeholders also deliberated on the latest science and evidence on tobacco harm reduction approaches and current Tobacco Harm Reduction policies and regulations in Nigeria.
Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, the President of ValueFronteira Limited, said while tobacco use remained a public health concern in Nigeria, finding effective harm reduction strategies has become vital.
Ike-Muonso said the economic effects of smoking was estimated at N634 billion annually in 2019, with 0.28 per cent economic burden on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2013 and 2020, quoting the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR).
He affirmed that adopting Sweden’s blueprint for a smoke-free country and associated tobacco harm reduction policies was not just a choice but a responsibility to citizens and the future generations of Nigeria.
He said “Sweden has indeed become a beacon of hope in the global fight against tobacco, with its unique approach to tobacco control leading to a significant decrease in smoking rates and a consequent improvement in public health.
“Sweden is on track to becoming Europe’s first ‘Smoke Free’ country, with its smoking prevalence rate expected to drop below five per cent in the coming months and the country’s strategies can potentially save 15.5 million lives in the next decade.”
Ike-Muonso explained that to drive successful implementation of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) policies, Nigeria must develop a comprehensive THR policy framework aligned with global best practices, tailored to Nigeria’s unique context.
He called for the launch of extensive public awareness campaigns to educate citizens, healthcare professionals and policymakers about the benefits of THR.
He said “Nigerian health authorities should forge partnerships with media outlets to disseminate accurate information and counteract misinformation regarding THR policies.
“They must strengthen knowledge among healthcare professionals about THR policies through targeted training programs and awareness initiatives, work on policies, reduced excise duties on risk reduction products that ensure their affordability compared to traditional cigarettes, making them accessible to a broader population.
We must encourage research and development in the field of THR, supporting innovations and advancements in less harmful alternatives and collaborate with international organizations and countries that have successfully implemented THR policies to gain insights and support.
“Nigeria must institute robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of THR policies regularly.”
For his part, Mr. Teslim Shitta-Bey, Managing Director, Proshare, noted that the challenge is not just to replicate Sweden’s success but to tailor strategies to our unique context.
He said Despite e-cigarettes being significantly less harmful than combustible cigarettes, “they are more expensive in Nigeria, with prices ranging from N4,500 to N50,000 for 2nd to 4th generation devices generally affecting their affordability.
“This is a huge challenge because in a recent study by THR Nigeria more than 60 per cent of the current smokers would reduce or quit smoking if there were a significant reduction in e-cigarette prices, or if the products were more easily accessible.”
He noted that policy makers can play a significant role in this respect by properly classifying THR products as belonging to the health category and reducing the associated excise taxes.
The Chief Economist, Proshare, quoted World Health Organisation (WHO) report that states that tobacco use is responsible for over eight million deaths annually, predicted to rise to 10 million by 2025.
Shitta-Bey said the dangers associated with tobacco smoking are not limited to death alone, but the economic toll is equally staggering, with substantial smoking-related healthcare and productivity losses and negative impacts on the environment.
He said that 8,004 tons of butts and packs of cigarettes end up as toxic trash each year, creating severe ecological impact that is detrimental and damaging.
The economist said many countries are beginning to shift to alternative non-combustible risk reduction tobacco alternatives to reduce the health, economic and productivity risks associated with smoking.
According to him, Sweden has become the global example in shifting to tobacco alternatives and achieving the lowest smoking rates, saying the country’s innovative approach to tobacco harm reduction presents tremendous inspiration to Nigeria.
He noted that only 5.6 per cent of the Swedish population are daily smokers, compared with the EU average of 19 per cent, resulting in the country having the lowest lung cancer rates in Europe and one of the lowest rates of tobacco-related deaths.
He added that “beyond reduction in smoking prevalence, Sweden’s experience demonstrates tangible health benefits as the country has witnessed a decline in smoking-related diseases, leading to lower healthcare costs.
“Economically, the impact is substantial. The Businesswire, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, has acknowledged that reduced healthcare expenditures, increased workplace productivity, and a healthier workforce contribute to Sweden’s economic resilience.
“For Nigeria to replicate Sweden’s success, we must revisit and enforce tobacco harm reduction policies, launch public awareness campaigns, collaborate with media, strengthen knowledge among healthcare professionals and promote the affordability of harm reduction products.”
Adi Bongo, Professor of Economics at the Lagos Business School, said “with about 50 per cent of Nigerians below the poverty line, people think that issues with smoking are not a major problem, when in reality, it is.”
He stressed that tax policies such as increase in excise tax was not the solution to discourage cigarette smoking, instead, it would lead to increase due to the addiction tendencies of smoking.
“United States government used tax policies such as excise tax to discourage smoking, which led to increase in price of cigarettes and increased crime rate.
“When people are addicted to certain substances, it takes quite a lot to get them off the hook because even if the price increases, such people are not likely to reduce consumption, instead, crime increases to fund their ability to buy it.
“What really works is an educational, behavioral interventions that can help people to change their habits.
“Also, religious circles, academic institutions can employ social communication to help people get over this habit,” he said.
