Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to curb public smoking and the illegal use of tobacco among children in the country.
This was stated by the Minister of Youth and Development, Jamila Ibrahim, on Friday in Abuja.
Ibrahim made the remark when she received the Regional Director of the Tobacco Control Programme (AFRO) Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Bintou Camara, who paid her a courtesy visit.
The minister said that tobacco smoking among children was a major challenge facing the country and that Nigeria needs to partner with relevant stakeholders to educate Nigerians on the health implications of tobacco smoking among young people.
She said that the government would focus on adolescent health and put mechanisms in place to prevent tobacco smoking among kids.
She also stated that the government would enforce the act that bans tobacco smoking in public places to protect people from secondhand smoke.
Ms. Camara, on her part, said that her organization was in Nigeria to campaign and educate Nigerians on the dangers of tobacco smoking.
She said that tobacco smoking was the leading cause of preventable deaths in the world and that tobacco companies target young people to safeguard their profits.
She opined that Nigeria was the most important market in Africa and probably the world, with a large number of young people. She said that it was important to raise awareness and educate youths on the consequences of tobacco use, which include death, disease, mental health problems, loss of productivity, and education, among others.
She also said that Nigeria had passed the tobacco control law, but that implementation and enforcement were crucial, especially for young people. She described tobacco as a gateway to other drugs that have negative effects on individuals and society.