The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, revealed that approximately seven million young people aged 13 to 15 in the African region use tobacco.
In her message commemorating World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), she highlighted the pervasive exposure of youth to tobacco products through social media and influencer marketing.
This year’s WNTD campaign, themed “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference,” aims to mobilise global efforts to shield young people from harmful tobacco and nicotine products and the deceptive marketing strategies of the tobacco industry.
Dr. Moeti emphasised the dangers associated with tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, noting that more than 37 million young people worldwide use tobacco. In the African region, tobacco use stands at 11.1% for boys and 7.2% for girls.
She highlighted that 1.3 million people die annually from second-hand smoke, deaths that are preventable with effective tobacco control.
The WHO supports member states in implementing robust tobacco regulations and controls on marketing strategies, resulting in significant progress in tobacco control laws across Africa.
Dr. Moeti reported a decline in adult tobacco use in the region from 14.9% in 2010 to 9.5% in 2023, with 22 countries on track to achieve a 30% reduction by 2025.
However, she cautioned that the tobacco industry continues to target young people with misleading science and aggressive marketing tactics.
She urged African governments to honour their commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and implement stringent measures to protect youth from tobacco industry influence.
Dr. Moeti called for a total ban on public smoking and electronic cigarettes, higher taxes on tobacco products, and the use of graphic health warnings to communicate the risks to the public, especially to children and youth
