The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) has called on the Nigeria Police Force, Federal Ministries of Health and Environment, the National Security and Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC) and all agencies charged with monitoring and enforcing of the National Tobacco Control Act and policy on all tobacco products, not only on cigarette packs.
The Chairman of NTCA,Akinbode Oluwafemi while briefing newsmen in Abuja expressed concern that recent survey showed a significant increase in the compliance level on cigarette packs, with an estimated 90%, the compliance level of snuff and shisha (which has become notoriously popular among young people), is estimated to be below 10% describing the trend as deeply concerning.
According to him, all 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 need to take enforcement of the graphic health warnings policy to Nigeria’s hinterlands to ensure compliance.
He said that it is possible that non-compliant products may be moved far inland where enforcement is low or non-existent.
Oluwafemi further charged government to intensify enforcement of graphic health warnings accused Tobacco Industry of continuing to downplay its role in the creation of the problem and have been intensifying efforts to make tobacco appealing to Nigerians.
“As an Alliance, we have continued to work to strengthen the gains made so far on the policy. Therefore, as recently as October 2022, we commissioned a survey to ascertain the compliance level of the policy on all tobacco products in the country. The survey was carried out in Ekiti, Adamawa, Cross River, Abia, Abuja and Kano.
“When results from this survey were compared with results from a similar survey we conducted in 2021, the results showed a significant increase in the compliance level on cigarette packs, with an estimated 90% compliance.
“However, it is deeply concerning to find out that other tobacco products such as snuff and shisha (which has become notoriously popular among young people) have no graphic health warnings and still carry the outdated text warnings. The compliance level of this group of tobacco products is estimated to be below 10%,” he said.