Ghana’s tobacco control gains under threat —Ministry of Health

Ghana's Ministry of Health is raising alarms that emerging nicotine products are jeopardizing the nation's hard-won gains in tobacco control. Flavored shisha and electronic cigarettes, in particular, are increasingly drawing in young people and adolescents, according to health officials.

These products are reportedly designed to mask nicotine's addictive nature, leading to rising experimentation among youth. The Ministry highlighted this concern during the launch of the World No Tobacco Day campaign in Accra. This year's theme, 'Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,' directly addresses the challenge posed by these newer products.

Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated that while Ghana has seen a decline in smoking prevalence from about 3% in 2017 to 2.2% recently, the influx of new nicotine products could reverse this trend. He credited past progress to policy interventions such as stricter advertising restrictions, graphic health warnings on cigarette packs, and increased excise duties.

Akandoh expressed concern over the growing misconception that shisha and vaping are safer than traditional cigarettes, despite containing nicotine and other harmful substances. He emphasized the significant health and economic burden of tobacco use, which causes thousands of preventable deaths annually and strains the healthcare system. The Minister urged decisive action to shield young people from deceptive marketing tactics and to strengthen enforcement of tobacco control laws.

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We must act decisively to protect our young people from targeted marketing and misleading perceptions about these products.