Senior programme officer of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr. Solomon Adoga, has said a well-implemented tobacco tax policy could reduce tobacco consumption and its devastating health impacts.
Adoga spoke during a training workshop for civil society organisations on tobacco taxation and gender mainstreaming held in Bauchi organised by CISLAC with support from Tax Justice Network-Africa (TJNA) yesterday.
He highlighted the global toll of tobacco, stating that over eight million deaths were recorded annually due to tobacco use with more than seven million from direct use and approximately 1.2 million from exposure to second-hand smoke.
“Tobacco harms nearly every organ in the body and severely reduces overall health. Of the 1.8 billion smokers worldwide, the vast majority live in low- and middle-income countries,” he said.
He explained that tobacco contains about 2,500 chemicals including nicotine.
Adoga noted that in Nigeria, tobacco usage remains widespread with more than 25,000 children (ages 10–14) and over 7.4 million adults (15+) using tobacco daily, saying the country records approximately 28,876 tobacco-related deaths each year.
He warned that tobacco is a major risk factor for various cancers, especially lung cancer and contributes to heart disease, stroke and respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and emphysema. It also adversely affects fertility and poses serious risks during pregnancy.
Also speaking at the event, CISLAC’s executive director, Auwal Rafsanjani, represented by the senior finance officer, Muhammed Murtala, said the training aimed to strengthen advocacy efforts against tobacco use.