The Nigerian Federal Government has reiterated its resolve to address youth tobacco usage in the nation.
During a courtesy visit on Friday in Abuja, Ms. Bintou Camara, Regional Director of the Tobacco Control Programme (AFRO) Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, shared these remarks with the Minister of Youth and Development, Jamila Ibrahim.
Ibrahim emphasized that one of Nigeria’s biggest problems is the prevalence of tobacco use among youth.
The minister stated that in order to inform Nigerians about the negative health effects of youth tobacco use, the nation must cooperate and engage with pertinent parties.
“We will focus on adolescent health. It is the area where we need to be proactive in putting mechanisms in place to achieve a preventive approach to tobacco smoking among the kids.
“We must work with the act that bans tobacco smoking in public places, especially to prevent secondhand smoke,” she said.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO), had a few months ago disclosed that about 30,000 Nigerians die annually of tobacco-related diseases.