Ghana must stay tough on tobacco, nicotine

Every May 31, the world marks “World No Tobacco Day” to remind us of a simple truth: tobacco kills, and the industry behind it never stops innovating ways to keep people hooked. 

This year’s theme, “Unmasking the appeal: Countering nicotine and tobacco addiction,” is a direct warning to Ghana’s youth.

The warning is that flavoured cigarettes, shisha and e-cigarettes may look modern and harmless, but they carry the same lethal potential for cancer and death.

The official numbers should jolt us awake.

About 13.6 per cent of Ghanaian youth use shisha, and 2.2 per cent use e-cigarettes.

Nearly 450,000 adults smoke regularly, with men bearing the heavier burden.

Tobacco-related diseases cost Ghana an estimated $6.007 billion every year, and claim about 6,000 preventable deaths.

Those are not abstract statistics.

They are fathers who will not see their children graduate, mothers lost to lung cancer, and young people whose lungs give out before their dreams do.

The industry has learnt that plain cigarettes are losing their appeal.

So it repackaged addiction in bright colours, sweet flavours and sleek devices.

Shisha is sold as a social, fashionable pastime in lounges.

E-cigarettes are marketed as “tech” and “cleaner alternatives.” 

Flavours such as mango, mint and bubble gum are designed for one purpose: to lower the age of initiation.

Once nicotine takes hold, the user is a customer for life.

That deception must be unmasked.

Nicotine remains a highly addictive substance, whether it comes from burning tobacco or a battery-powered device.

E-cigarette aerosol still contains toxic chemicals and ultrafine particles that damage the lungs and the cardiovascular system.

Long-term studies are clear: they increase the risk of cancer, respiratory disease and heart attacks.

For adolescents, whose brains are still developing, nicotine harms attention, learning and impulse control.

There is no “safe” way to smoke.

There is good news, and we must protect it.

Ghana remains a recognised leader in tobacco control in the region.

Adult smoking has declined from three per cent in 2017 to approximately 2.2 per cent today.

That progress did not happen by accident.

It is the product of sustained public education, strong legislation under the Public Health Act, and collective action by government, Parliament, civil society and health professionals.

While traditional cigarette use is declining, shisha and e-cigarettes are filling the gap, especially among young people.

A 13.6 per cent shisha use rate among the youth is a warning sign.

Shisha lounges in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi often present the activity as glamorous and harmless.

They do not show the carbon monoxide poisoning cases, the tuberculosis transmission from shared mouthpieces, or the long-term lung damage.

So what must Ghana do next to stay ahead of the industry?

First, enforcement must match legislation.

The Public Health Act bans smoking in public places and restricts tobacco advertising.

But e-cigarettes and shisha often slip through regulatory cracks because they are “new.”

The Ministry of Health must clarify and enforce rules that treat all nicotine and tobacco products the same: no sale to persons under 18, no flavoured products that target children, no misleading “reduced risk” claims without scientific proof, and clear health warnings on packaging.

Second, public education must evolve in response to deception. If the industry uses Instagram, TikTok and influencer culture, our counter-messaging must be there too.

The

“Unmasking the appeal” theme should become a national campaign in schools, churches, mosques and online spaces.

Young people need to see the truth: the shiny vape pen is a delivery device for addiction.

The sweet shisha flavour masks carbon monoxide and tar.

Third, we must protect our health system.

With $6 billion lost annually to tobacco-related diseases, every cedi spent treating cancer or stroke caused by smoking is a cedi not spent on maternal health, vaccines or primary care.

The National Health Insurance Scheme and district hospitals bear that burden.

Preventing addiction is cheaper and more humane than treating it later.

Fourth, communities must act.

Parents, teachers, religious leaders and youth groups must reject the normalisation of shisha lounges and vaping in schools.

Peer pressure is powerful, but so is peer protection.

When young people themselves lead anti-tobacco clubs and call out deceptive marketing, the industry loses its foothold.

The 6,000 Ghanaians whose death could have been prevented each year deserve more than sympathy.

They deserve a country that acts.

Ghana has chosen the path of prevention and control.

Let us stay that course, unmask every new deception, and ensure the next generation grows up free from nicotine’s grip.

The progress is real.

The threat is evolving.

The resolve must be stronger.