Lara Adejoro With the World Health Organisation revealing that more than eight million people die from tobacco use every year and estimates that more than eight million die prematurely yearly from tobacco use, medical experts and civil society organisations have called on the Federal Government to fully implement the graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging and labelling. According to them, this is an effective way to spread awareness about the risks associated with tobacco products, and reduce consumption, and it would be helpful for those with limited literacy skills. PUNCH Healthwise reports that in Nigeria, while there are some graphic warnings on cigarettes, there are none for other tobacco products like shisha, snuff, and snus, among others.
Meanwhile, the WHO mandated the parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to put in place policies on tobacco product packaging to provide health warnings concerning the harmful effects of tobacco use. While the 2024 yearly graphic warnings will begin in June 2024, experts and CSOs urge the FG to implement graphic health warnings on 60 per cent of display areas of tobacco products, including shisha and others. Speaking with PUNCH Healwhwise, a public health consultant at the University of Ibadan, Dr Francis Fagbule noted that labelling and graphic health warnings on tobacco products are meant to be according to the law.
He said findings have shown that graphic health warnings have helped people quit taking tobacco p.
