Tobacco is a product of fresh leaves of nicotiana plants. It is used as an aid in spiritual ceremonies and a recreational drug. It originated in the Americas, but was introduced to Europe by Jean Nicot, the French ambassador to Portugal in 1559. It quickly became popular and an important trade crop.

It is a leafy plant grown in hotter climates and can be smoked, chewed or sniffed. When a person absorbs the plant in these ways, the addictive chemical nicotine inside is released into the bloodstream.

It speeds up the heart rate, raises the blood pressure and makes one feel more energetic for a temporary amount of time, though the lasting effects are much more dangerous.

Medical research made it clear during the 1900s that tobacco use increased the likelihood of many illnesses including heart attacks, strokes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema and many forms of cancer. This is true for all ways in which tobacco is used, including, cigarettes and cigars. Hand rolling tobacco, bidis and kreteks (cigarettes containing tobacco with herbs or spices), pipes and water pipes, snuff to name but a few.

On May 15, 1987, the World Health Organization (WHO) passed a resolution, calling for April 7, 1988, to be observed the first World No Smoking Day. This date was chosen because it was the 40th anniversary of the WHO. Again on May 17, 1989, WHO passed another resolution calling for May 31 to be annually known as World No Tobacco Day. This event has been observed each year since 1989.

This year was not an exception, as activities highlighting health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

Addiction to smoking is a serious problem for many and breaking the habit can take months – if not years – of dedication and willpower.

From many angles, the illicit trade of tobacco products is a major global concern, including health, legal and economic, governance and corruption.

The illicit tobacco market may account for as much as one in every 10 cigarettes consumed globally according to studies including information supplied by the global customs community. Illicit trade is not a problem just in high-income countries, almost all countries throughout the world are subject to illicit trade in some form or another, Nigeria is not an exception. In response to the threat posed by illicit tobacco trade, the international community negotiated and adopted in November 2012 the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, the first protocol to the WHO FCTC.

Nigeria, with its over 175 million populations and weak tobacco legislation, combines its growing middle class population and corruption index to form a viable market for tobacco industries. Nigeria is British American Tobacco’s most lucrative market in Africa. The company controls 84 per cent of local cigarette market.

In 2010, while markets in Turkey, Iran and South Africa declined, British American Tobacco declared a profit growth of £134 million to £858 million in its African and Middle East regions, driven largely by its Nigerian market.

From available information, it appears that the federal capital territory remains the only part of Nigeria conscious of the harmful effect of smoking. The recent prohibition of smoking in public places remains a commendable step but actions are still necessary to combat the monster called smoking. While the recent efforts of the Nigerian government, especially in recent times, remain commendable as regards some appreciation of the menace of smoking, all hands must be on deck to counter the resurgent ability of the super-rich tobacco industry. There is no doubt that more concerted efforts are needed on the parts of the federal and state governments to ensure that Nigeria becomes smoke free country.

According to a recent survey by Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS),  South Easterners in Nigeria are believed to be the highest consumers of tobacco, with about nine per cent of its adult population currently smoking, closely following the South East is the North Central – Middle Belt – where at least 8.5 per cent of its adult population is hooked on tobacco.

North West states, including Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and Katsina, are the least smokers in Nigeria, with only three per cent of its adult population indulging in tobacco while the North East, South-South and Southwest regions come between that range.

The survey polled 9,765 respondents across the 36 states of Nigeria– and the capital territory. The report establishes standard for discussions around tobacco issues in Nigeria. Until the GATS report, both the government and the civil society in Nigeria have relied on external estimates for policy and advocacy on tobacco.

An expert, who contributed to the survey, said “It shows how bad the tobacco pandemic is in Nigeria,” The report estimates that the bulk of Nigeria’s 4.5 million adult smokers are male. While 10 per cent of adult men in Nigeria consume tobacco, only 1.1 per cent of the women do.

The 4.5 million smoking adults exposes 27 million others to harmful second smoke, the report adds, with government buildings and restaurants identifies as the most likely places none-smokers get exposure to tobacco.

Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, signed the Tobacco Control bill into law, hours to the end of his tenure. The president signed the bill alongside five others, according to his spokesperson, Reuben Abati.

Recently a civil society organisation and anti-tobacco advocates (CISLAC) reiterated that “The Senate must stand firm in the face of growing misinterpretation of the tobacco control bill by agents of the tobacco industry. It must remain vigilant and resist the deceptions and lies of the tobacco industry and their front groups.”

Meanwhile according to observers in Nigeria, tobacco is one of the most commonly used addictive substances that contain several chemicals, which are injurious to health. Tobacco products contain a diverse array of chemical carcinogens that cause cancers of various types. Tobacco is responsible for over 25 diseases in man, including hypertension, heart attack, cancer and other conditions such as asthma and emphysema. It is also responsible for some pregnancy-related problems and other conditions such as tuberculosis, blindness, deafness and nutritional and psychological disorders.

The economic cost of tobacco consumption in Nigeria varies among people of low, middle and high-income earnings. Even though the poor is affected the most, the rich also cry because of the way their young and under-aged children are lured into smoking through sophisticated advertising, pop concert and promotion of cigarettes sales and marketing by the tobacco companies. For the Nigerian poor, who lives on less than one dollar a day, money spent on tobacco is money not spent on basic necessities such as food, shelter, education and health.

Many individuals at household, national and international levels see tobacco users at much higher risk of falling ill and dying prematurely of cancers, heart attacks, respiratory diseases and tobacco related illnesses that deprive families of much needed income, productivity and imposing additional health care costs. Tobacco kills 50 percent of lifetime smokers and half of these deaths occur among people in their active years. Nigeria loses $591 million yearly to tobacco use in terms of health care cost and low productivity. The tobacco industry realises almost $6,000 in profit for each death caused by tobacco.

Now let me remind you all about basic facts on tobacco use and dangers:

Tobacco use leads to disease, disability and death. Besides, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death globally. For every person who dies from a smoking-related disease, 20 more people suffer with at least one serious illness from smoking.

There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world today, and if current trend continues, that number is expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2025. Six hundred and fifty million people alive today will eventually die from tobacco related diseases. One person dies every six seconds and the clock is still ticking.

Incidentally, an average smoker in Nigeria spends N1,202.5 on tobacco products monthly. On the whole, Nigerians spend an average of N7.45 billion on tobacco monthly, and N89.5 billion yearly. This was made by Dr. Yemi Kale, Nigeria’s Statistician General.