Lagos: A senior medical practitioner, Dr. Leo Odudu, says the government’s sponsorship of campaigns in local languages will help to tackle the tobacco menace in society. Odudu, the Medical Director at Emel Hospital, FESTAC, Lagos, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos ahead of the ‘World No Tobacco Day’, observed annually on May 31.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, World No Tobacco Day was established in 1987 by the World Health Organisation to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and to promote effective control measures. The 2026 theme, ‘Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction’, focuses on exposing how tobacco and nicotine industries use flavoured products, digital marketing, and lifestyle branding to attract young people and sustain addiction. The campaign also highlights the need to protect vulnerable groups, particularly women, girls, and youth, from targeted marketing and misleading ‘harm reduction’ narratives.
Odudu identified significant challenges in tackling the tobacco menace, including the lack of proper education of the public on the dangers of tobacco use and its addictive tendency. He stated that the poor literacy level of the general population was being exploited, noting that statistics show tobacco use in various forms is more prevalent among the uneducated rural populace. This group faces additional challenges such as malnutrition and poor access to healthcare, which compound the harmful effects of tobacco use.
Odudu criticized the government for focusing on the economic side of tobacco and ignoring the health consequences. He argued that warnings on cigarette packets are insufficient deterrents, as heavy smokers often do not purchase cigarettes in packets. Despite health physicians’ efforts in public campaigns, Odudu emphasized the need for more efforts to tackle the scourge.
He advocated for continuous education of the populace, economic enhancement of the citizens, and engagement of institutions like churches, mosques, market women, and social clubs in the campaign process. According to Odudu, the government should also implement policies against tobacco use and abuse, and sponsor anti-tobacco campaigns in local languages. He advised that the government should impose strict regulations on establishing tobacco industries and consider good border control restrictions to prevent restricted substances from entering the country.