Tobacco Consumption: CISLAC Projects 8 Million Deaths Yearly By 2030
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has said the continuation of tobacco consumption in developing countries which Nigeria is one would increase death rate to approximately eight million by 2030.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa.
The statement posited that, “Globally, Tobacco consumption remains the leading cause of preventable deaths with the World Health Organization (WHO) putting statistics of the number of deaths that are resultant from tobacco consumption at approximately six million deaths annually.
“A continuation of this trend will lead to approximately 8 million deaths by the year 2030, with 80 percent of these deaths in developing countries which Nigeria is one.
“With this development, the civil society has concluded plan to hold a workshop in the South West Nigeria towards Supporting Effective Tobacco Control Measures in Nigeria.
Musa stressed that in recognition of the pending death rate if such trend is not checked may result across the continent and Nigeria in particular, saying CISLAC received support from the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) towards stepping up its intervention in the area of public health related initiatives and contributing to the strengthening of tobacco control initiatives in Nigeria.
CISLAC recalled that In May 2015, the Federal Government of Nigeria signed the National Tobacco Control Act into law which ushered in the much desired legal foundation and basis needed for promoting a comprehensive national tobacco control strategy, the need for adequate capacity of CSOs in engaging the provisions of the Act and broad tobacco control measures has become imminent.
“Towards this end CISLAC is holding a One Day Workshop with the objective of sensitization on existence of the Act and building necessary capacities and relevant skills needed for ensuring that tobacco control is seen purely as a public health issue”, the civil society group added.