World No Tobacco Day is observed on May 31 annually with the goal to combat the increasing prevalence of tobacco consumption all over the world owing to its hazardous health effects on smokers and those who are exposed to second-hand smoke. The theme of this year is “We need food, not tobacco”.
It is estimated that there are more than 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide, which represents 22.3 per cent of the total global population. Over 80 per cent of these tobacco smokers are mostly residing in low- and middle-income countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia.
According to a recent report of the WHO, tobacco-related ailments, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, lung illnesses, eye disease, emphysema, tuberculosis kill about eight million people each year around the world and 1.2 million out of the figure lose their lives from exposure to second-hand smoke.
In Nigeria, the WHO has estimated that over 30,000 Nigerians die yearly as a result of tobacco-related diseases. The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) has also said that 246 men die weekly from tobacco-related illnesses in the country.
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According to cardiologists, the nicotine contained in tobacco is a very dangerous addictive chemical and a disease-carrying ingredient which damages the entire vital organs and blood vessels of smokers.
Psychologists say nicotine is the addictive substance and the major barrier that makes quitting smoking so hard for tobacco smokers.
Epidemiologists have warned that harvesters of tobacco crops are at risk of being infected by a disease from nicotine poisoning known as “the Green Tobacco Sickness”.
The six MPOWER measures, ratified by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2008 designed to assist countries around the world to call a halt to the rising prevalence of this tobacco products that are riddled with disease-causing chemicals regarded as the death invitation card for the cigarette’s smokers, has not yielded the desired result. This is because, instead of decreasing, the number of tobacco smokers is increasing like a wildfire.
It is apparent that the six MPOWER strategies of the WHO did not provide the desired result in low- and middle-income countries of Africa, Latin America and Asia. Therefore, governments should do their utmost to propose a new approach and strategy to fight against the rising prevalence of smoking. The huge funds that are squandered annually for sponsoring and subsidising production of this disease-causing crop must be brought to an end.
Given the complexity of the rapid population growth of some continents of the world, particularly Africa, and how climate crises such as armed conflicts, famine, drought, annual flooding, that puts Africa’s vulnerable groups in an ineffable jeopardy of acute hunger, it is necessary for African leaders to wake up from their deep slumber and address the genesis of food insecurity of the continent by converting millions of tobacco crop farmers into nutritional food farmers.
A 2022 report of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UN estimated that 828 million people regularly go to their beds with hungry stomachs worldwide.
In commemoration of the 2022 World No Tobacco Day, the Regional Director for Africa of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, said that the levies should be spread across production, processing, distribution, sales, consumption and waste management. This is a good suggestion worth considering by our leaders.
Therefore, cigarette smokers should be reminded that their good health is regarded as the greatest wealth for themselves and their families. They should enjoy and appreciate this preeminent asset before it is snatched by some of the tobacco-related illnesses by quitting smoking.
Mustapha Baba Azare, Bauchi State
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