Voices for Tobacco Control, a community of concerned Nigerians, has urged the Nigerian government to establish laws against the sales of e-cigarettes, vapes and flavoured tobacco products to minors in the country.
The call formed part of the group’s activities lined up for the World No Tobacco Day on May 31, including a petition demanding urgent action from the government to address the alarming rise in the use of e-cigarettes, flavoured vapes, and shisha among Nigerian teens.
According to the group, 25,000 young people smoke every day, including children as young as 10 and 14 years, which places them at risk of death and cancer. Young people also get addicted to tobacco, as a result of tobacco companies targeting e-cigarettes and flavoured nicotine products, brightly packaged and sold in flavours like strawberry, mint and mango, advertising them.
“Tobacco companies want to remain in business, and they are doing everything to remain in business, including selling tobacco products to children. For us not to lose our future leaders, we must collectively lend our voices to FCCPC to introduce guidelines for the sale to children,” said the President of FOMWAN, Kwara State Chapter, Nimat Labaika.
There is also the issue of the easy accessibility of tobacco products to minors and teenagers, a situation they blamed on the FCCPC for not doing its job.
“We have seen instances where children and teenagers walk into stores to buy cigarettes and tobacco products without sellers inquiring after their use,” said a community member.
“Nigeria is at the edge of an e-cigarette and vaping crisis. While tobacco-flavoured products like vape, shisha, e-cigarette, among others, are considered less harmful than traditional cigarettes, they still pose great danger to young people. Each day, tobacco companies deploy creative ways to make young people believe smoking and vaping are fashionable. Government must do something to address this to ensure public health is protected,” said Executive Director of A New Thing International Foundation and Consultant Senate Committee on Narcotics and Drugs, Kenneth Anetor.
While there exist laws that regulate tobacco use, implementation of such laws is low to non-existent.
The group seeks legislation that prevents the sales of tobacco and nicotine products to children and teenagers, or harsher penalties for commercial sellers who sell flavoured nicotine products to children.
Thus far, about 300 Nigerians have signed the ‘Keep Vape Away From Nigerian Children’ petition.
“What we are doing is not out of place. It’s necessary. We cannot force the government to ban tobacco. Still, we can persuade it to curb the danger of allowing our children to access these products,” said the Executive Director of the Bundies Care Support Initiative, Funmilayo Osiegbu.
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