Abuja – Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) on Tuesday, called for increase on taxes on tobacco as a means of reducing its consumption by Nigerians.
Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr Auwal Musa, made the call in Abuja at a forum organised by the group to mark 2016 World No tobacco Day.
Musa said that if the Federal Government increased taxes on tobacco products, it may reduce the initiation of youth into smoking and other vices.
“Talking more seriously, the path of increased taxes on tobacco products has been identified as a way of stopping the initiation of youths into smoking and reduction of consumption of tobacco.
“It also a means for improving internally generated revenue and public financing,’’ he said.
Musa said that tobacco control had remained an integral part of sustainable development in the country, adding that its use had been identified to have negative implication for economic development.
According to him, tobacco consumption diverts household expenditure from food and researchers have it that its economic impacts are most acute in developing countries of which Nigeria is one.
He said that there was urgent need for Federal Ministry of Health and Tobacco Control Office to ensure effective implementation of the law regulating tobacco consumption in the country.
Musa said that the theme of this year’s event was “Plain Packaging’’ of tobacco products, adding that it was believed that it may curtail attention of youths to the products, thereby reducing the usage.
He disclosed that “plain packaging’’ of tobacco would be introduced for the products to prohibit the use of logos, colour, brand, images or promotional information other than product names.
“Plain packaging is an evidence-based measure which when introduced in Nigeria can contribute to saving lives and protect public health,’’ he said.
He stated that four most notable benefits of plain packaging were reduction of attractiveness of tobacco products and restricting use of tobacco packaging as tobacco advertising and promotion.
The others, according to him, are limiting misleading packaging and labelling and increasing effectiveness of health warnings.
The NGO director recalled that the Act controlling use of tobacco was enacted in May, 2015 but that its enforcement had been stalled by failure of Ministry of Health to constitute a National Tobacco Control Committee (NATOCC) as provided in the law. (NAN)