Smoking in Ghana
In Ghana, tobacco smoking prevalence as of 2022 shows that among adults aged 15 years and older, it was 4% for males and 0.3% for females, with an overall prevalence of 2.1%. Comparatively, the overall adult prevalence in 2020 was 2.40%, with male prevalence at 4.4% and female prevalence unchanged at 0.3%. The number of tobacco smokers decreased from 453,184 in 2020 to 416,722 in 2022, reflecting a downward trend since 2019, when the figure was 644,429. The adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence in 2017 was 3.1%, with 6.1% among males and 0.2% among females. Smoking-related mortality data from 2021 indicates that 2.23% of all deaths were attributable to smoking, with a higher burden among males (3.35%) compared to females (0.88%). In 2021, the annual number of smoking-attributable deaths was 5,574, with 4,571 male deaths and 1,003 female deaths. These statistics underline the ongoing public health challenge posed by tobacco smoking in Ghana, particularly among men, and highlight the need for targeted interventions to reduce smoking prevalence and the associated mortalities.
Read articles from Ghana
October 28, 2024 by myjoyonline.com
Quit or Switch: The urgency of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) strategy in Ghana to reduce the harm caused by smoking
Combustible tobacco remains a major cause of preventable disease globally, leading to serious health consequences from nicotine addiction and tar exposure. As the world addresses tobacco-related illnesses, many countries are turning to Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR), an approach focused on reducing smoking's health risks by offering safer alternatives. The THR approach is particularly pressing in high-smoking regions. Ghana, in particular, stands at a crucial juncture, where embracing strategies based on controlled approaches—like "quit or switch"—could reduce tobacco-related diseases, marking a shift from the traditional "Quit or Die" stance to a more flexible, life-saving approach.
August 21, 2023 by ghanaweb.com
Tobacco Harm Reduction: An Effectiive Tobacco Control Strategy
According to medical experts, smoking is destructive to body organs and public health. People who smoke end up developing lung cancer, colon cancer, brain tumour, etc. Every year, there are seven million tobacco-related deaths worldwide of which 80% are among tobacco users in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.