WNTD: ENFORCE A 100 PERCENT BAN ON PUBLIC SMOKING, VAPING – WHO CHARGE COUNTRIES

By Vincess Okushi

Tobacco use among young people aged 13 to 15 accounts for 11.1% of boys and 7.2% of girls, which is about 7 million in Africa, according to a WHO report in 2023, as more than 37 million use tobacco globally.

However, an estimated 1.3 million people die from second-hand smoke every year from heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancers, even though these deaths are entirely preventable. 

Necessitating the urgent call on Countries to implement and enforce a 100% ban on public smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes (vaping), to salvage the preventable deaths.

Marking this year’s 2024 World No Tobacco Day with the theme, “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference”  WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti in a message on 31, May 2024, urges counties to apply excise tax and price measures to reduce tobacco consumption and implement effective measures to communicate health risks through graphic health warnings to populations, including children and youth.

She said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus highlighted during the opening session of the 77th World Health Assembly that “tobacco use is declining in 150 countries, and there are now 19 million fewer smokers globally than ever two years ago. “

Moeti added that it’s a day set aside to mobilize international efforts to shield young people from harmful tobacco and nicotine products and the deceptive strategies often used by the tobacco industry to market their products. 

By this theme, young people across the world have a platform to call out for the tobacco industry to stop targeting them with products that are harmful to their health.

As part of efforts to protect people, especially young people, from tobacco industry interference, we support our Member States in the African Region to sustain a consistent momentum in tobacco control by pushing for robust tobacco regulations, stringent controls on marketing strategies for new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products which are often designed to attract young people.

Due to our efforts, 45 countries in the African region have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, WHO FCTC, and 22 have ratified the protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products. Twenty-two countries have adopted new tobacco control laws that have enabled them to implement the provisions of the tobacco control framework effectively. These national legislations have resulted in accelerated implementation of the WHO FCTC in more than 35 countries and contributed significantly to the downward trends in the prevalence of tobacco use in the region.

The message also hinted that despite the decline in tobacco prevalence among adults in the region, at 14.9% in 2010 to 9.5% in 2023,  22 countries in the African region are on track to achieve a 30% reduction by the year 2025 relative to 2010 rates1, there is the need for countermeasures for total elimination.

We know that young people in the region are exposed to tobacco products through extensive social media and streaming platform campaigns, as well as the use of social media influencers to promote tobacco products to the youth covertly. This poses a significant threat to their health and well-being. 

This shows that more efforts are still needed to stop the tobacco industry’s relentless efforts to market its products to young people. 

Ensuring governments honor and abide by their obligations under WHO FCTC Article 5.3 by introducing safeguards to protect tobacco-control policy from tobacco industry interference.

Countering tobacco industry tactics through evidence-based arguments and best practices with full involvement of civil society organizations.

Raising awareness among the public on the tactics of the tobacco industry; and

Exposing industry efforts to target youth and attract generations of people with addiction through innovative approaches, including marketing new and emerging products and using flavors.

As an organization, we encourage countries to accelerate their implementation of the WHO FCTC with stringent measures on marketing new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products, particularly designed to appeal to youth. These include shisha, e-cigarettes (flavored products), nicotine pouches, and others that are aggressively promoted through social media platforms. 

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