An NGO, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), says tobacco smoking remains the leading cause of death among Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Mr Solomon Adogo, an Expert and Programme Officer, CISLAC, said this at a one-day multi-stakeholders engagement on tobacco taxation on Thursday in Bauchi.
He said “tobacco use remains the leading cause of death among Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), as it is directly linked to high burden of cancer, heart disease and stroke.
“There are about 600 ingredients in cigarettes. When burned, cigarettes create more than 7,000 chemicals.
“At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are toxic.’’
He asserted that tobacco use poses threat to public health, adding that smoking can damage every part of the body and can cause different types of cancer, including that of the head, neck, lung, kidney, pancreas, bladder and others.
Adoga explained that “smokers are also liable to develop chronic diseases like stroke, blindness, gum infection, heart disease, pneumonia, hardening of the arteries, asthma and reduced fertility, among other health problems.
“Selling cigarettes in sticks makes it affordable and encourages younger users to continue to indulge in smoking. Enforcers should commence strict enforcement of the regulation.
“Research has also shown that taking a stick of cigarette amounts to eating many hazardous chemicals as smoking tobacco causes exposure to lethal mixture.’’
He urged Federal Government to increase tax on tobacco to reduce the health hazards and the corresponding deaths associated with cigarette smoking.
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Earlier, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, represented by Muhammad Murtala, said Nigeria had continued to sustain tobacco control efforts
“but there is need to expand the efforts to all the states.
“Recognising tax and price measures should be the most cost-effective tool for tobacco control, as they reduce affordability, especially among low-income earners and reduce initiation of children into smoking.’’(NAN)
