A non-governmental organisation, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy (CISLAC), on Wednesday said unless measures are urgently put in place to halt the progress of Tobacco effect, about eight million people are estimated to be at the risk of loosing their lives by the year 2030.
CISLAC therefore called on the media in Nigeria to as a matter of national importance create awareness on the Act controlling the use of Tobacco product in the country.
The NGO said it was regrettable that despite the proven negative impact of Tobacco product on users, most Nigerians are not aware of the existence of the Act meant to control the usage.
Speaking at a one day workshop for the media towards supporting effective tobacco control on Wednesday in Abuja, the Senior Programme Office, CISLAC, Okeke Anya, called on the media to make a national service by creating awareness for the Act.
The Act, assented to by former President Goodluck Jonathan on the May 26, 2015, is an offshoot of World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC).
About 178 countries have signed on to the convention while some countries need to domesticate it before becoming a law in their countries just as some others need not to.
Speaking further on the adverse effect of Tobacco on both the smoker and the second smoker, Mr. Anya said about six million people die yearly around the world as a result of Tobacco effect.
He listed ailments such as cancer, liver and kidney diseases, leukaemia, nasal and pharynx, oesophagus and many other health challenges as some of the conditions brought about Tobacco usage.
Speaking on some of the weaknesses identified with the Act, Anya listed the 18 months window within which graphic warnings should appear on cigarette pack and reverting back to the National Assembly each time the Minister of Health comes up with a new regulation as some of the places that needed fine tuning.
- Halima Ogiri
0 comments :
Post a Comment