Smoking Among Nigerians

Nigeria’s leading survey and opinion polling firm, NOIPolls Ltd, says tobacco smoking has become highly predominant among Nigerians between the ages of 18 years and 40 years.

The survey also said that the prevalence of smokers was highest among males within the age range.

According to the latest weekly poll results released by NOIPolls on Tuesday in Abuja, 84 per cent of Nigerians believe that tobacco smoking has become highly predominant in Nigeria.

Eighty-eight per cent of the people polled said that males smoked more while 47 per cent said Nigerians within the age range of 18 years and 25 years smoked more.

Another 26 per cent of the people surveyed said that Nigerians in the age range of 26 years to 40 years indulged in smoking.

The poll further revealed that 94 per cent of those polled believed that smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products were very harmful to individuals, while 80 per cent believed that passive or second hand smoking posed serious health hazards to non-smokers.

It added that the key findings from the Anti-Tobacco Special Edition Poll conducted in the week of Feb.17, 2014, showed that 88 per cent of Nigerians expressed support for laws that would restrict and regulate tobacco smoking in the country.

NOIPolls recalled that in recent times, there had been a global awakening on the adverse effects of tobacco consumption and different countries had risen up to fight against the growing casualty from its consumption.

The United States, England and China are some of the countries that have banned smoking in public places.

The Lagos State House of Assembly banned smoking in public places in January 2014.

“In line with this, stakeholders suggested that the next phase of stopping the product from harming more people is through proactive legislation in the country, particularly the National Tobacco Control Bill.

“The National Tobacco Control Bill was initiated by Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth to regulate the production, sales, marketing and distribution of tobacco products in Nigeria.

“The bill which also prohibits the sale of cigarettes to minors, smoking in public places and the sale of cigarettes in single sticks, is currently awaiting presidential approval,’’ it added. (NAN)

Source: Leadership