World Tobacco Day:GHS Urges Youth to Reject Tobacco and Nicotine
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) issued a public health warning on World No Tobacco Day, observed every May 31, calling on Ghanaians, and young people in particular, to resist tobacco and nicotine products. The GHS cautioned in a message circulated on its official WhatsApp platform, "Strawberry flavour? Menthol breeze? Sleek designs? Don't fall for the trap." The 2026 global campaign is themed "Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction."
The GHS warned that the tobacco industry is deliberately engineering its products to appeal to youth, deploying attractive packaging, sleek designs, and sweet flavourings. Data from the Tobacco Atlas states that tobacco use accounts for an estimated 5,702 deaths in Ghana each year, with the annual economic cost of smoking-related illness standing at approximately GH¢1.67 billion. Among adults aged 15 and above, male smoking prevalence stands at 2.40% compared to 0.10% among women, yielding an overall adult prevalence of 1.30%. As of 2022, Ghana had an estimated 438,000 adult smokers, of whom 411,000 were men. As of 2023, smoking prevalence among youth aged 10 to 14 stood at 3.66%, with boys at 4.03% and girls at 3.27%. Tobacco is currently responsible for 2.38% of all deaths in Ghana, with the mortality burden skewed toward men at 3.49% against 1.11% for women.
The GHS urged Ghanaians not to be misled by promotional messaging that frames tobacco as harmless or fashionable. The GHS advised, "Don'
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The Ghana Health Service is urging the youth to reject tobacco and nicotine products on World No Tobacco Day. The industry is accused of using sophisticated tactics to recruit younger users - but what are they?
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