Read articles from Nigeria

December 04, 2024 by downtoearth.org.in

Integrating tobacco harm reduction (THR) products in Nigeria and Kenya could save 600,000 lives by 2060, cutting tobacco-related deaths. THR offers less harmful smoke-free nicotine alternatives like e-cigarettes, proven effective in other countries. Despite government approval, their use remains low. Strict regulations on THR products may hinder quitting efforts. Urgent collaboration among governments, healthcare providers, and leaders is needed to make THR products accessible. The research aims to guide policymakers on implementing enhanced cessation programs for a healthier, smoke-free future. Understanding smoking dynamics in Nigeria and Kenya is crucial for successful interventions.

November 26, 2024 by smokefreesweden.org

Over 400,000 Nigerian lives could be saved by integrating safer nicotine products like vapes into tobacco control. Current tobacco-related deaths in Nigeria are high, but by adopting tobacco harm reduction (THR) strategies, annual death toll could decrease to 7,600 by 2060. Successful THR implementation in countries like the UK and Sweden has reduced smoking rates. Leading health experts urge Nigerian policymakers to introduce THR products to save lives and improve public health. By offering less harmful alternatives, Nigeria can make significant progress in tobacco control. Embracing THR is crucial for Nigeria to lower tobacco-related diseases and set an example for Africa. For more information on THR success, visit www.smokefreesweden.org.

October 31, 2024 by businessday.ng

Tobacco use remains a major global public health challenge, causing over 8 million deaths annually. Despite anti-smoking efforts, 1.1 billion people still smoke, especially in low-income countries. Sweden's success in becoming smoke-free involved public health campaigns and safer nicotine alternatives. Nigeria could benefit from adopting a harm reduction strategy, as not all smokers can quit. Safer alternatives like nicotine vapes can reduce smoking-related diseases. This approach saves lives and healthcare costs. Collaborative efforts are crucial in regulating and promoting these alternatives. By following Sweden's lead, Nigeria could achieve a smoke-free future and improve public health outcomes.

August 27, 2024 by businessday.ng

Vaping is not a perfect solution, but it is a safer alternative to smoking. By vaporising a liquid solution containing pharmaceutical-grade nicotine instead of burning tobacco, it eliminates the harmful combustion by-products released by burning tobacco that cause the majority of smoking-related diseases. The Royal College of Physicians estimates that vaping is likely to be much safer than smoking, with some studies suggesting it may be at least 95 percent safer.

August 16, 2024 by businessday.ng

Sweden's successful harm reduction model, including the use of Snus and other nicotine alternatives, has significantly reduced smoking rates and associated health risks. Nigeria can learn from Sweden by increasing accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of harm reduction products to tackle its high smoking rates. With nearly 30,000 smoking-related deaths in 2022 and 4.5 million current smokers, Nigeria faces a pressing public health challenge. Emulating Sweden's approach could lead to improved outcomes and a smoke-free future. The Swedish model's success underscores the need for diverse cessation options, public awareness campaigns, and reduced taxes on safer nicotine products.

July 25, 2024 by thecable.ng

In the early 2000s, Sweden had and adopted the concepts and ideals behind Tobacco Harm Reduction when it introduced Snus, a smokeless tobacco product that has since become a national phenomenon. Snus is placed under the upper lip and does not require smoking. Its popularity in Sweden has contributed to a significant public health triumph. Today, over 20% of Swedish men (…)

October 25, 2023 by vanguardngr.com

Stakeholders across Africa have called on the Nigerian government and other governments across Africa, to adopt harm reduction approaches and to integrate harm reduction principles and practices when regulating public health challenges. Harm reduction refers to interventions aimed at reducing the negative effects of health behaviours without necessarily extinguishing the problematic health behaviours entirely or permanently. The President of the African Medical Association and the Association of Medical Councils of Africa, Dr. Kgosi Letlape, described harm reduction as a more transformative strategy than prohibition-based policies.

January 17, 2023 by sunnewsonline.com

There have been repeated campaigns, warning and awareness programmes by health experts, advocacy groups, non-governmental organizations and government agencies against tobacco consumption due to its adverse health effects. Despite all these, millions of smokers in Nigeria have refused to yield to the warning, while tobacco companies and distributors still smile to the bank with huge profits from the tobacco trade.

With over 20 billion sticks of cigarettes consumed annually in Nigeria, many smokers pay with their health, as reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other resource centres indicate that millions of smokers die annually in Nigeria from tobacco-related ailments.jan

December 09, 2020 by theconversation.com

Cannabis is illegal in Nigeria. Its production, distribution and use are criminalised by local laws. Cultivated mostly in southern Nigeria, the drug is affordable and readily available through street drug-running. Cannabis users are also widely seen as social deviants, and are liable to arrest and imprisonment.

Despite the stigma and danger from the law, the use of cannabis in Nigeria is growing fast. Studies show that it ranks just below alcohol as the second most used psychoactive substance in Nigeria. It is mostly used by people aged 25-39 years.

March 31, 2020 by filtermag.org

To state the obvious, smoking kills. Tobacco smoking is the world’s leading preventable cause of premature death. Here in Nigeria, there are at least 11 million smokers, and despite declining prevalence, a fast-growing population means that the actual number of smokers is on the rise. This is especially true of young adults, connected in part to our growing nightlife culture. E-cigarettes were found by the UK’s Royal College of Physicians to be at least 95 percent less harmful than combustible tobacco, [...] But very few smokers in Nigeria are benefiting from this alternative.