The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria wants the Federal Government to go tougher on tobacco, calling for policies that either remove nicotine from tobacco products or ban tobacco outright. Speaking on World No Tobacco Day, May 31, ACPN National Chairman Pharm. Ambrose Igwe Kammah Ezeh said the country is losing between 26,000 and 28,000 people to tobacco-related illnesses yearly, while smoking-attributable diseases drain about ₦634 billion annually from healthcare costs and productivity losses. He described tobacco as one of the deadliest consumer products ever created, responsible for over 8 million global deaths each year, including 1.3 million non-smokers killed by second-hand smoke.
Ezeh warned that Nigeria’s current tobacco laws are not working due to poor enforcement, leaving room for manufacturers to target youths with flavored products, slick packaging, and aggressive marketing. He said about 40 million children aged 13-15 worldwide already use tobacco, while e-cigarettes sold as “safer” options are still fueling nicotine dependence and pulling new users in. With the 2026 theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” he argued the fight must target nicotine itself, since it’s the substance driving dependence.
For ACPN, the solution is bold: stricter laws, tighter restrictions on availability, and scientific measures that reduce addiction potential. Ezeh stressed that tobacco has no health benefit and directly fuels cancers, heart disease, and chronic lung conditions that overwhelm families and hospitals. He urged the Tinubu administration to strengthen enforcement, close loopholes, and sustain public awareness so Nigeria can cut consumption and move toward a tobacco-free future.
