As tobacco consumption related deaths and illnesses continue to ravage lives of Nigerians, a Civil Society Organisation, CSO, Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, NTCA, called for enforcement of graphic health warnings on all tobacco products in order to reduce tobacco use and its associated harms. The demand was made by the Chairman, NTCA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, during a press conference held in Abuja, to make sure the lives of Nigerians are safeguarded against the killer products, following the increasing tobacco related illnesses. Oluwafemi, pointed out that studies have shown that Graphic Health Warnings are more effective than text-only warnings in communicating the risks of tobacco use. He further stated the warnings on these deadly products can reduce the economic burden of tobacco use by deterring intending smokers, cut down the number of new smokers, and cause current smokers to quit.
However, the NTCA boss, decried the increasing use of tobacco products, especially, shisha among young Nigerians despite the serious health implications, therefore, he maintained that the introduction of Graphic Health Warnings have been proven as an effective way of reducing tobacco use and its associated harms. He said “Graphic Health Warnings, GHWs, are also more likely to be noticed and remembered by users and intending 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 per cent of the principal display area and that the graphic photo must clearly show the health implications of tobacco use and exposure.
In providing further guidelines for effectively implementing this policy, section 20 (3) of the National Tobacco Control Act stipulates that graphic health warnings must be changed after an initial period no later than 24 months to new warnings and messages prescribed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. 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 a period of 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 continually monitor compliance with the second phase of the warnings. From the findings, the compliance level on the conventional cigarette is above 80 per cent, and 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 among our young population despite the serious health implications. However, it is shocking to reveal that compliance is abysmal on other tobacco products like Shisha, and flavoured vapes that are still illegally marketed in Nigeria, and this is unacceptable. The tobacco industry should not undermine the laws governing its business in Nigeria. The profit-centered 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, 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 theme is ‘Protecting Children against Tobacco Industry Interference’. It has also been established that these warnings can reduce the economic burden of tobacco use.” Meanwhile, he said NTCA is appealing and urging the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, Nigeria Police Force, NPF, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant government enforcement and regulatory agencies to ensure the effective implementation of graphic health warnings on all tobacco products. “This is an important step in reducing the side effects of tobacco use and protecting the health of Nigerians. The graphic health warnings policy must not be derailed”, he added.
