4.5 Million Nigerians Are Tobacco Addicts – Statistics

A survey on global adult tobacco use shows that 4.5 million adult Nigerians are tobacco addicts.
The survey which was conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics and some international organisations also shows that while the eastern part of the country has high cases of smokeless tobacco usage, the north has high cases of tobacco smokers.
The deputy director in charge of household surveys at the National Bureau of Statistics, Isiaka Olarewaju, explained that the survey was conducted in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The unveiling of the global adult tobacco survey drew the participation of experts from the health sector.
Globally, tobacco is said to be the leading cause of preventable deaths and if not checked, it is estimated that it will kill one billion people in the 21st century.
The minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu while campaigning for a reduction in tobacco smoking appealed to state governments to prohibit smoking especially in public places.
The study also revealed that tobacco smoking in Nigeria is said to be relatively low when compared with other parts of the world.
A member of Environmental Rights Action, Akinbode Oluwafemi has advised that tobacco control policies must be put in place to prevent tobacco related diseases and deaths.
Nigeria is the first to conduct tobacco survey in Africa. It is expected that the survey will provide a platform for government at all levels to implement policies aimed at checking deaths caused by tobacco.