Nigeria: FG Adopts Who Policy On Tobacco Promotion

Source from:  Vanguard (Lagos) 3 June 2008 06/04/2008

THE Federal Government in accordnance with the call by the World Health Organisations (WHO) to ban all advertisments, promotions and sponsorships on tobacco product, has banned all forms of advertisement on tobacco products. Each year, over 10 million people die of tobacco related diseases inspite of measures put in place by governments, Non-Governmental Organisations and other stakeholders to checkmate activities of tobacco companies. Researches have linked smoking of tobacco to series of ailments, such as infertility in men, weak and underweight babies, all forms of cancer amongst others. No thanks to tobacco companies who inspite of the inexhaustible lists of diseases cause by tobacco smoking are intensifying efforts to hook new, young and potentially life - long tobacco users. - From right, Vice President of the Nigeria Heart Foundation (NHF), Engr. Oluyomi Adeyemi -Wilson, Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Dr. Femi Olugbile, Prof. A. B. Fafunwa and WHO representative in Nigeria, Mr. Charles Korir at a School debate on "Does Exposure to Tobacco Advertising Influence Young people to become Regular Tobacco Users"organized by NHF to mark this year's World No Tobacco Day last week in Lagos. In recognition of the danger pose by this deadly products, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other stakeholders called on governments to protect the world's 1.8 billion young people by imposing a ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Delivering WHO message to mark the 2008 World No Tobacco Day, with the theme, "Tobacco Free Youth" at a one - day School Debate on "Does Exposure to Tobacco Advertising Influence Young People to Become Regular Tobacco Users" organized by the Nigeria Heart Foundation (NHF) in collaboration with United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos, Director of UNIC, Mr. Tetsuo Ohno explained that this year's campaign focuses on the multi-billion dollar efforts of tobacco companies to attract young people to its addictive products through sophisticated marketing. Quoting WHO, Ohno said "Recent studies prove that the more young people are exposed to tobacco advertising, the more likely they are to start smoking. Despite this, only 5 per cent of the world population is covered by comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Tobacco companies, meanwhile, continue targeting young people by falsely associating use of tobacco products with qualities such as glamour, energy and sex appeal. Speaking at the event, the Vice president of NHF, Engr. Oluyomi Adeyemi - Wilson explained that World No Tobacco Day is aimed to raise awareness especially among young people about the great variety of deadly tobacco products. In his view, Mr. Dapo Rotifa, who expressed worry over the health of a significant percentage of the world youth said the health of the youth is seriously threatened by activities of tobacco companies. He warned that exposure to direct and indirect pro-tobacco advertising, together with other marketing strategies used by tobacco industry, leads to an in crease in experimentation by young people and in turn to the very real risk of their becoming regular users of tobacco products. Since most people start smoking before the age of 18, and almost a quarter of those before the age of 10, tobacco companies market their products wherever youth can be easily accessed in the movies, on the Internet, in fashion magazines and at music and sports venues. But it is the developing world, home to more than 80 per cent of the world youth, which is most aggressively targeted by tobacco companies. Young women and girls are particularly at risk, with tobacco companies seeking to weaken cultural opposition to their products in countries where women have traditionally not used tobacco. The tobacco industry employs predatory marketing strategies to get young people hooked to their addictive drug," said Dr Douglas Bettcher, Director of WHO Tobacco Free Initiative. "But comprehensive advertising bans do work, reducing tobacco consumption by up to 16 per cent in countries that have already taken this legislative step." Enditem