Nigeria Loses U.S.$591 Million Annually to Tobacco Smoking

Source from:  Daily Independent  07/21/2014

The Director of Environmental Rights Action and Friends of the Earth (ERA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, said on Thursday that Nigerian economy loses about $591 million annually as cost of medical treatment and low productivity resulting from tobacco smoking.

Consequently he called for a national tobacco control committee that would be co-ordinated by the Minister of Health.

Akinbode spoke with newsmen Thursday on the outcome of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB).

He also called for the harmonisation of the executive and private members bills saying it would go a long way in guiding the distribution and manufacturing of tobacco in the country.

"As we have said time and again, tobacco is the only legally available product which kills more than half of its users when consumed as intended by the manufacturer.

"Scientists worldwide have evidence to show that tobacco is a major threat to public health.

"It currently kills about six million people a year and if current trend continues that figure will rise to 10 million a year by 2015.

"Real statistics shows that the cost of tobacco smoking to the Nigerian economy in terms of losses to medical treatment and low productivity is at US$591 million annually.

"We are calling for the regulation of the contents of tobacco products as well as the packaging and labelling of tobacco products in the country," he stated.

He also tasked the media on its role in information sourcing and dissemination, "the media is actually a good source of information dissemination as well as forming public opinion across society."

He said his organisation was also advocating the rights of non-smokers since tobacco is the only commodity a consumer consumes and it affects a non-consumer of the product.

"We are not insensitive. We also know that smokers also have a right to smoke but we on the other side believe that inasmuch as smokers have their own right, non-smokers' right should also be protected," he stated.

Calling on President Jonathan to give assent to the bill when passed by the National Assembly, ERA said the health effect of tobacco consumption is enormous. Enditem