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Tag: Tobacco Industry

  • The Problem With N10m Tobacco Control Fund

    The Problem With N10m Tobacco Control Fund

    The national budget for 2024 saw Nigeria double its financial commitment to the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF) from N4.7 million of the previous year to N10 million, heeding long-standing stakeholder calls for increased funding.

    The money earmarked for tobacco control aligns with Section 8 of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Act (NTCA), 2015, which stipulates funding for the National Tobacco Control Committee (NTCC) and Tobacco Control Unit (TCU) to carry out their obligations. This fund, drawn from various government revenues, support the work of relevant government institutions in health promotion initiatives, tobacco control programs, and enforcement activities to ensure compliance with set laws and regulations.

    By outlining a dedicated fund for tobacco control in the NTCA, the federal government indicated that it appreciated the necessity and capacity of such measures to facilitate the security of public health.

    Nonetheless, the journey towards operationalizing the fund has been fraught with challenges and protracted, with the current allocation being very modest. To be clear, the budget increase to N10 million, though a step in the right direction, still falls short of the broad spectrum of tasks and necessary financial resources required for the tobacco control committee to discharge its responsibilities effectively.

    For instance, the committee is expected to meet at least four times annually, as stated in the NTCA. Yet, last year, the committee noted that convening even a single meeting alone costs a minimum of N4 million. The figure does not include expenditure for other essential activities such as the coordination of public health campaigns, population-wide cessation and anti-smoking programs, and collaborations with a variety of stakeholders among other initiatives.

    The NTCA, in another case, is expected to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant agencies on alternative cropping for tobacco farmers. Such a transition would require ongoing trainings, distribution of substitute seedlings, and potentially, the provision of even soft loans to aid farmers make the switch. Evidently, N10 million is nowhere adequate for the gamut of interventions and programming essential for robust tobacco control in the country.

    This paucity of funds also indirectly facilitates the tobacco industry’s strategy of utilizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, to market its brand and cultivate harmful relationships with state authorities and strategic institutions in society.

    By forming partnerships with government bodies, youth-focused agencies, and tertiary institutions to undertake ‘‘socially responsible’’ initiatives such as organizing farm fairs and agribusiness trainings for farmers and young school graduates, tobacco corporations not only position themselves as benefactors but also subtly promote their brands and earn public endorsements for it. This scheming not only sidesteps Nigeria’s tobacco control laws but also raises conflict of interest concerns, all of which undermines efforts to regulate tobacco consumption.

    As tobacco corporations tirelessly seek to circumvent national regulations and laws, their substantial financial resources significantly aid them.

    Only last November, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined British American Tobacco Nigeria Limited (BATN) and its affiliates an unprecedented $110 million for violating national tobacco control regulations, among other laws. The fine was one of the highest in Nigerian quasi-judicial history, with the FCCPC granting them grace period of a few years to liquidate the penalty. But just days after the announcement of the fine, BATN issued a statement saying it had paid up, reflecting the deep pockets of the organisation.

    Up against a public enemy as the tobacco industry with deep pockets, the case for an improved tobacco control funding to fortify public health is made even more urgent. As the leading preventable cause of deaths and diseases, tobacco kills half of its regular users. In fact, by the Federal Government’s own records, no fewer than 26,800 persons die in Nigeria each year from tobacco or tobacco-linked diseases. Yet, the ‘‘casualties are not only those who are dead”, to borrow the words of the late Nigerian poet and playwright, John Pepper Clark.

    According to the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, for every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Thus, thousands of other tobacco consumers in Nigeria are racked with costly, debilitating non-communicable diseases.

    Tobacco control is not merely a health issue but also an economic and environmental concern. The costs associated with treating tobacco-related diseases, environmental cleanup, and loss of productivity due to illness and premature deaths run into billions of naira annually. A robust tobacco control strategy, backed by substantial financial resources, can mitigate these burdens, and safeguard the well-being of Nigerians.

    On this note, the federal government must recognize the urgency of increasing its allocation to the tobacco control fund in the next budget cycle commensurate with the scale of the problem. This would be a significant step towards empowering relevant agencies to wage powerful campaigns and interventions against tobacco consumption. This investment in public health will yield dividends in the form of reduced healthcare costs, a healthier population and workforce, and a cleaner environment for future generations.

    Robert Egbe is the Communication Officer at pan-African not-for-profit, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) www.cappaafrica.org. He can be reached via regbe@cappaafrica.org

     

  • World Vape Day: Global alignment on health policy necessary for smokeless NigeriaHowever, widespread accessibility of these alternative products is essential for the success of THR. At present, this is being hamstrung by Nigeria’s limited access to these alternative tobacco and nicotine products.

    World Vape Day: Global alignment on health policy necessary for smokeless NigeriaHowever, widespread accessibility of these alternative products is essential for the success of THR. At present, this is being hamstrung by Nigeria’s limited access to these alternative tobacco and nicotine products.

    With renewed attention to smoking and vaping regulations around the world, now is the time for action to realise Nigeria’s smoke-free ambitions. Achieving this vision requires a collective consensus on an effective approach to creating sustained and lasting changes to consumer behaviour – Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR).

    THR represents one of the greatest public health opportunities today, providing a pathway for millions of smokers who would not otherwise quit, to transition from combustible tobacco products to smokeless alternatives. Countries that have recognised the opportunity THR presents and adopted supportive policies have seen striking success in reducing their smoking rates.

    The United States, United Kingdom and Japan are witnessing their lowest smoking rates on record, while Sweden is on track to declare itself smoke-free this year–defined as having fewer than 5 percent of daily smokers in the population–16 years ahead of the 2040 EU target.

    These remarkable transformations have been driven by widespread THR acceptance from policymakers, regulators, health officials, and consumers, enabling and encouraging smokers to migrate from combustible tobacco products such as cigarettes to vapour, oral nicotine pouches, snus and heated tobacco or herbal products.

    However, widespread accessibility of these alternative products is essential for the success of THR. At present, this is being hamstrung by Nigeria’s limited access to these alternative tobacco and nicotine product

    To fully realise the public health potential of THR, regulators in Nigeria should embrace evidence-based science to drive positive public health outcomes. This means implementing a supportive regulatory framework that encourages adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke, to switch, while protecting consumers with the right safety standards and preventing underage access.

    The success of THR in Nigeria also depends on governments and regulators correcting persistent misperceptions that these alternative products are more harmful compared to cigarettes. These misperceptions are not only flawed but also have significant implications for public health by actively discouraging smokers from making the switch to smokeless products.

    Greater efforts are needed to counter these misperceptions–an area that BAT is trying to tackle. As the world’s largest vapour company and a leader in smoking alternative products, BAT is committed to producing innovative products backed by world-class science and industry-leading product safety and quality standards.

    The Company’s THR approach is based on a growing body of research and a weight-of-evidence approach that substantiates our belief in the reduced risk profile of these products compared to cigarettes, which have been accepted by many international public health bodies. BAT publishes its science research to increase understanding of THR and raise awareness with stakeholders.

    Indeed, the industry developing and producing these products has a critical role to play. But to achieve the conditions required to make a success of THR, an inclusive, open and honest dialogue with all stakeholders is required. That includes policymakers, regulators, and the healthcare and medical communities. Unfortunately, this is not yet the case, with the industry all too often excluded.

    There is an opportunity to usher in a new smokeless world, grounded in scientific research and a firm commitment to public health. The solutions are available today. All that is required is for the relevant stakeholders to actively work together to prioritise THR and the well-being of millions of people worldwide

  • Saving School Children From Tobacco, E-Cigarette Vendors

    Saving School Children From Tobacco, E-Cigarette Vendors

    Fifteen years after the National Assembly enacted the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) to protect Nigerians from the dangers of tobacco, the problem of the tobacco industry’s unhealthy relations with minors continues to be a talking point.

    A case in point is the recent investigation by a tobacco control advocate, GST, which revealed that vendors are having a field day dispensing the tobacco industry’s products of death and diseases to children.

    GST’s findings, partly published in a video on its X handle, showed several vendors on the streets of Abuja, freely selling cigarettes, vapes and other kinds of e-cigarettes to school children. Not only is this morally reprehensible, but it has further emphasised the fears of tobacco control advocates that tobacco corporations are – whether by hook or by crook – finding ways to reach their target: the youth.

    Ultimately, their goal is to recruit a new generation of young Nigerians addicted to smoking as a replacement for older victims who die from smoking or manage to quit the habit. About 28,876 Nigerians die of smoking-related diseases annually. The tobacco industry increasingly preys on children and adolescents, employing advertising tactics both online and offline to target them directly with a portfolio of products that threaten their health. The industry is rapidly rebranding existing products and launching new articles promoted as sophisticated to young people. It is using every means to expand its market offerings to manoeuvre or beat public health regulations.

    Globally, the tobacco industry has been very successful in killing its customers. According to the WHO, there are 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. That number would be even larger if tobacco didn’t kill half of its users who don’t quit. Every four seconds, tobacco takes another life. No fewer than eight million persons died from tobacco use last year, including an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who were exposed to second-hand smoke. Decades of the tobacco industry’s deception and devious tactics have hooked generations of users to nicotine and tobacco, driving a global epidemic.

    In the video, GST volunteers, dressed as underaged pupils, went out to buy cigarettes and vapes in Abuja. Incredibly, every vendor agreed to sell to them, blatantly flouting tobacco control laws. Since 2015, the NTCA has banned the sale of tobacco products to persons under 18 years. This includes cigarettes, vapes and all other tobacco products. Any vendor who violates this law is liable to spend one year in prison (or/and) a fine of N200,000.

    However, as is common knowledge in Nigeria and globally, laws do not seem to deter the industry. Tobacco corporations, using their substantial financial resources, relentlessly try to circumvent national regulations and laws. Only last November, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined British American Tobacco Nigeria Limited (BATN) and its affiliates an unprecedented $110 million for violating national tobacco control regulations, among other laws.

    The GST’s investigation, supported by video evidence, is another incontrovertible instance of the industry and its affiliates undermining public health policies. To this, the Nigerian state must respond firmly, especially with the lives of young children at stake.

    Thankfully, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is taking a tough stance to protect children, starting from the home front. The FCTA has urged the Federal Government to initiate a law that will prosecute parents who send children on errands to buy tobacco-related products. According to Dr. Doris John, FCTA’s Director, Public Health Department, more than 25, 000 children between 10 and 14 years are daily tobacco users in Nigeria, while the age of tobacco use initiation is between 13 and 15 years. John, who was quoted by the Vanguard newspaper on June 11, 2024, added that secondary school and university studies showed ‘shisha’ smoking rates between 3 to 7 per cent.

    To save our children, we join the GST in demanding that the government impose proof of age verification as a condition for the sale of tobacco and related products. We also urge the government to enforce the law and punishments on erring vendors and shield children from predatory tobacco marketing tactics.

    Egbe and Fatuase work with Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).