The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has raised serious concerns over the devastating health and economic impact of tobacco use in Nigeria. According to the association, smoking-related diseases cost the country an estimated N634 billion each year through healthcare expenditures and lost productivity. This staggering figure represents a burden that Nigeria can no longer sustain, as families are devastated, healthcare systems are stretched, and economic productivity is undermined annually.
Call for Stronger Tobacco Control Measures
The ACPN is calling on the Federal Government to adopt stronger and more decisive tobacco control measures. These include policies that could eliminate nicotine from tobacco products or impose an outright ban on tobacco. The association revealed that tobacco-related illnesses account for between 26,000 and 28,000 deaths in Nigeria each year, creating a significant public health challenge and placing immense pressure on the country's healthcare system and economic productivity.
World Tobacco Day 2026
National Chairman of the ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Igwe Kammah Ezeh, made the call at a press briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Tobacco Day. He described tobacco as one of the deadliest consumer products ever created and a major contributor to preventable deaths worldwide. The yearly observance serves as a critical reminder to governments, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, and citizens of the urgent need to intensify efforts to combat the tobacco epidemic and protect populations from its devastating consequences.
Ezeh stated that tobacco remains one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide, killing up to half of its long-term users and responsible for more than eight million deaths globally each year, including approximately 1.3 million non-smokers who die from exposure to second-hand smoke.
Concern Over Youth Tobacco Use
The ACPN leader expressed concern over the growing prevalence of tobacco and nicotine use among young people. An estimated 40 million children aged between 13 and 15 years across the world currently use at least one tobacco product. Ezeh accused tobacco manufacturers of deliberately targeting young people through attractive flavours, deceptive packaging, aggressive branding, and sophisticated marketing campaigns designed to lure them into nicotine addiction.
He warned that the tobacco industry continues to target young people through carefully crafted campaigns that make harmful products appear attractive and harmless, creating a new generation of nicotine-dependent individuals. He also raised alarm over the increasing promotion of e-cigarettes and other nicotine delivery systems, which are often marketed as safer alternatives but ultimately sustain nicotine dependence while recruiting new users into a cycle of addiction.
Theme of 2026 Commemoration
Speaking on the theme of this year's commemoration, "Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction," Ezeh described it as both timely and relevant. The theme exposes the tactics employed by tobacco companies while drawing global attention to the urgent need to confront nicotine addiction at its root. He noted that nicotine remains the primary psychoactive substance responsible for tobacco dependence.
Despite Nigeria's existing tobacco control laws and regulatory frameworks, weak enforcement has continued to undermine their effectiveness. The continued prevalence of tobacco consumption demonstrates that current interventions have not delivered the desired outcomes. Government complacency in addressing this epidemic only benefits the tobacco industry while thousands of Nigerians continue to lose their lives annually.
Call for Bold Policy Actions
The ACPN leader urged policymakers to pursue more far-reaching scientific and regulatory measures capable of significantly reducing the addictive potential of tobacco products. He also advocated stronger legislative restrictions on tobacco availability and consumption, stressing that bold policy actions are necessary to reverse the growing public health threat posed by tobacco use.
"A strong policy that eliminates nicotine from tobacco products or an outright ban on tobacco will permanently address many of these avoidable health hazards," he declared. Ezeh emphasised that tobacco offers no proven therapeutic or medicinal benefit to the human body and remains directly linked to a wide range of life-threatening illnesses, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory disorders, and several chronic health conditions.
Appeal to Government and Stakeholders
On behalf of the leadership and members of the ACPN, Ezeh called on the Federal Government to strengthen tobacco control policies, intensify enforcement of existing laws, and implement bold reforms that will safeguard present and future generations from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine addiction.
"As we commemorate World No Tobacco Day 2026, we must recommit ourselves to protecting public health, reducing preventable deaths, and building a healthier, tobacco-free Nigeria," he said. He also extended his goodwill and support to Nigerians battling tobacco-related illnesses, while encouraging families and caregivers caring for affected persons.
Ezeh expressed optimism that with stronger political will, effective enforcement, and sustained public awareness, Nigeria can significantly reduce tobacco consumption and its devastating consequences on public health. He urged all stakeholders to unite in the fight against tobacco addiction and work collectively towards securing a healthier and tobacco-free future for all Nigerians.
