From Idu Jude, Abuja
The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance ( NTCA) again has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria and other relevant agencies to advance the implementation of graphic health warnings for all tobacco products in response to the Tobacco Control Act.
Chairman of the NTCA, Mr. Oluwafemi Matthew Akinbode during a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, emphasized that one year since the warnings came into effect, there has been abysmal compliance to regulate all Tobacco Products in various parts of the country.
Akinbode noted that owing to dangerous health hazards involved in tobacco product consumption, members of the Alliance, are now on the alert to ensure the campaign is carried down to all affected states of the Federation.
“We alerted our members in the Federal Capital Territory, as well as Abia, Kano,
Bauchi, Plateau, Cross River and Lagos states to monitor compliance with the second phase of the warnings continually”.
The chairman of the group said that from the findings, the compliance level on the conventional cigarette is above 80%. However, he said that it is shocking to reveal that compliance is at a zero point on other tobacco products like Shisha, and flavoured vapes, which are still illegally marketed in Nigeria and are unacceptable, stressing that the tobacco industry should not undermine the laws
governing its business in Nigeria.
“As you may know, tobacco use is a major public health concern and is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the world. According to the Centre for the Studies of Economies of Africa, (CSEA), it is responsible for the death of over 28,000 people annually in Nigeria. If the current trends continue, this number is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
“There are growing concerns in Nigeria about the increasing use of tobacco products, especially the use of shisha and new tobacco products in our young population despite the serious health implications.”
The chairman of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), further revealed that the introduction of Graphic Health Warnings (GHWS) has been proven as an effective way of reducing tobacco use and its associated harms.
He said, “Studies have also shown that GHWs are more effective than text-only warnings in communicating the risks associated with tobacco use. “They are also more likely to be noticed and remembered by users and intended users.
“This measure is contained in Article 11 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) and in our local laws; Section 20 of the National Tobacco Control Act, 2015 (NTC Act)requires manufacturers, importers, and distributors of tobacco products to ensure that their products carry fully coloured graphic health warnings, covering at least 50% of the principal display area and that the graphic photo to show the health implications of tobacco use and exposure clearly.”
He said, in providing further guidelines for effectively implementing this policy, Section 20 (3) of the National Tobacco Control Act, which stipulates that graphic health warnings must be changed after an initial period of no later than 24 months to new warnings and messages prescribed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Furthermore, he observed that the current set of warnings, depicting a photo of mouth cancer was issued on June 23, 2023, and will expire on June 22, 2025, after two years.
“It is now one year since the warnings came into effect. As an Alliance, we alerted our members in the Federal Capital Territory, as well as Abia, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Cross River and Lagos states to monitor compliance with the second phase of the warnings continually. “From the findings, the compliance level on the conventional cigarette is above 80%. However, it is shocking to reveal that compliance is abysmal on other tobacco products like Shisha, and flavoured vapes, are still illegally marketed in Nigeria this is unacceptable. The tobacco industry should not undermine the laws governing its business in Nigeria.
“The profit-centred tobacco industry producing, importing and distributing these tobacco products is foot-dragging to weaken this policy because it knows that graphic health warnings reduce the number of people who start smoking, just as it encourages current smokers to quit. They can help to reduce the amount of tobacco consumed by current smokers. In addition, the group advised that graphic health warnings can reduce the appeal of tobacco products, making them less attractive to young people as this year’s World No Tobacco Day, with the theme, “Protecting Children Against Tobacco Industry Interference’.
“It has also been established that these warnings can reduce the economic burden of tobacco use, by cutting the number of people who start smoking and encouraging current smokers to quit, thus lowering the costs associated with treating tobacco-related diseases.”
