The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) has called for implementing Graphic Health Warnings (GHWs) on all tobacco products.
The chairman of NTCA, Akinbode Oluwafenmi, said the introduction of GHWs had been proven as an effective way of reducing tobacco use and its associated harms.
Akinbode, who spoke at a press briefing on the current state of the GHWs policy implementation in Nigeria yesterday in Abuja, said studies had shown that GHWs are more effective than text-only warnings in communicating the risks associated with tobacco use.
“They are also more likely to be noticed and remembered by users and intending users.
“This measure is contained in Article 11 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) and in our local laws.
“Section 20 of the National Tobacco Control Act, 2015 (NTC Act) requires manufacturers, importers.
and distributors of tobacco products to ensure that their products carry fully coloured graphic health warnings, covering at least 50 percent of the principal display area and that the graphic photo must clearly show the health implications of tobacco use and exposure,” he explained.
Akinbode further stated that the current set of warnings, depicting a photo of mouth cancer, was issued on June 23, 2023, and will expire on June 22, 2025, after a period of two years.
He noted that section 20(3) of the National Tobacco Control Act stipulates that graphic health warnings must be changed after an initial period not later than 24 months to new warnings and messages prescribed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
“It is now one year since the warnings came into effect. As an Alliance, we alerted our members in the Federal Capital Territory, as well as Abia, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Cross River, and Lagos states to continually monitor compliance with the second phase of the warnings.
“From the findings, the compliance level on conventional cigarettes is above 50 percent. However, it is shocking to reveal that compliance is abysmal on other tobacco products like shisha and flavoured vapes, that are still illegally marketed in Nigeria. This is unacceptable. The tobacco industry should not undermine the laws governing its business in Nigeria,” he said.