NGO calls for implementation of tobacco control bill

NGO calls for implementation of tobacco control bill

NEWS DIGEST -Youth Action on Tobacco Control and Health (YATCH), a non-governmental orgnisation, has urged all regulatory bodies to ensure the strict implementation of the tobacco control law.

Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Seye Omiyefa, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos in commemoration of the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WNTD is marked annually on May 31.

The theme for the 2018 WNTD is, “Tobacco and heart disease“.

“It is unfortunate that since the passage of the tobacco control bill into law in 2015, not much has been done to implement the tobacco control law in Nigeria.

“Recently, the government increased tax on cigarette by two per cent, as against the 75 per cent recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“This is not worth celebrating; there is need for more advocacy on increased tobacco tax in alignment to the WHO’s recommendation.

“It has been noted by the World Health Report 2010 that a 50 per cent increase in tobacco excise taxes will generate a little more than $ 1.4 billion in additional funds in 22 low-income countries.

“If allocated to health, government health spending in these countries can increase by up to 50 per cent.

“Hence, this is not a time to celebrate until the WHO’s 75 per cent recommendation is implemented by the government, “ he said.

According to him, evidence has shown that tax increment on tobacco product has not been effective in countries where illicit trade is on the increase.

He said there was the need for government to follow up policy implementation with rigorous monitoring, evaluation, border control and monitoring mechanism through track and trace system that limit the growth of illicit trade.

“This will make the increase tax on tobacco products more effective since the government is the 35th country to sign the Illicit Trade Protocol of WHO.

“This is a protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products in Nigeria, “ he said.

Omiyefa added that there was an urgent need to create awareness on the harmful effect of tobacco smoking at the grass roots level.

He urged the Federal Ministry of Health to work with the Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency, to make the campaign in those areas more effective.

“Awareness creation is very crucial toward the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act.

“It is shocking that if you walk through major cities in Nigeria, it will be hard to find one person that knows about the tobacco control law in the country.

“People need to know the effect of smoking and second hand smoking on health, “ he said.

The director said that YATCH had sensitised over 575,000 students and youths on the harmful effects of tobacco smoking, through the Youth Action Against Tobacco (YAAT) club.