The confiscated items included 15 brands of illicit shisha (waterpipe) flavours, three brands of illicit cigarettes, and seven brands of nitrous oxide canisters.

Others were 21 brands of illicit vapes, 10 brands of illicit cigars, and four brands of illegal wraps of tobacco.

The operation, part of activities to mark this year’s World No Tobacco Day (May 31), was carried out by FDA officials in collaboration with two police officers at four out of six targeted facilities.

The facilities were located at Kwabenya, East Legon, Abeka, Fadama, Tabora, and Achimota. The remaining two were closed at the time of the visit.

The Head of the Tobacco and Tobacco Products Department at the FDA, Jemima Odonkor, said the exercise was part of the Authority’s sustained efforts to clamp down on the sale of unwholesome products and protect public health.

She noted that the seized items entered the country through unapproved routes.

“The Authority will apply the necessary legal and regulatory sanctions to the distributors and sellers of the products,” she stated.

Madam Odonkor reaffirmed the FDA’s commitment to preventing the patronage and use of such products in the market.

She added that the Authority would intensify awareness efforts to educate the public on the health risks of tobacco use.

“We will be visiting schools to educate our students on the harmful effects of tobacco products to safeguard them from illicit drugs,” she said.

The Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851) and Tobacco Regulations 2016 (L.I. 2247), prohibit smoking in public places to protect public health.

However, a significant number of smokers continue to defy the orders to enjoy their spliff.

Speaking on Luv FM, Dr. Abigail Arthur of the FDA noted that while the law permits individuals to smoke, it strictly discourages smoking in public spaces.

She highlighted the risks associated with smoking, recognizing the dangers to both smokers and second-hand smokers.

“Second-hand smokers and main smokers are equally at risk when smoking takes place in public,” she noted.

Dr. Arthur explains public facilities like restaurants and pubs are mandated by law to display a ‘No Smoking’ signage at their premises to caution patrons against smoking publicly.

The FDA urges a designated abode for such activities which is out of reach to both children under the age of 18 and expectant mothers.

“Places like that can be provided for smokers but should be far from where non-smokers gather so the smoke does not seep into where non-smokers are. Such places should also be free of any other activities except smoking,” she explained.

According to Dr. Arthur, failure to comply with these regulations attracts administrative charges, imprisonment, or prosecution as the authority deploys enforcement teams to routinely monitor public spaces to ensure compliance.

She also urged citizens to be vigilant during the festive season, a period when unregulated products, including tobacco, often flood the market.

“We’re intensifying surveillance to ensure illegal products do not enter the market,” she said while courting support from public facility operators and the general public in enforcing tobacco regulations. 

She is optimistic restricting smoking to controlled areas and safeguarding vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women would minimize the health risks associated with smoking in Ghana.

ALSO READ:

Chief Imam, Mahama brothers, others join Haruna Iddrisu to mourn his…

Kasoa: One dead, another arrested for stealing motorbike after accident [Video]

The meeting brought together hotel management, bar owners, restaurant operators, food vendors, and other entertainment service providers to discuss strategies to combat tobacco use.

The TOPAFA project takes a unique approach to assisting qualifying governments in sub-Saharan African nations that have signed the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

About 34 tobacco vendors and students attended the one-day programme to learn more about the dangers and consequences of smoking tobacco.

Ms. Anita Owusu Kuffour, the Eastern Regional Director of FDA, warned about the dangers of tobacco use, stressing that “It is so dangerous that there is nothing safe about it, and it can ruin everything from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet.”

Unfortunately, she observed that many people were unaware of the significant harm caused by tobacco products.

She urged for better control of their use to minimize these negative effects.

As the Christmas season approached, she emphasized the importance of engaging bar operators to raise awareness about the relevant norms and regulations, as well as the harmful effects of tobacco.

She explained that one of the FDA’s mandates was to prohibit smoking in public places, and everyone must adhere to these regulations.

She referenced the Public Health Act of 2012, Act 851, Section 58, which states that a person is not allowed to smoke tobacco or any tobacco product or hold a lighted tobacco product in enclosed indoor areas of workplaces or public areas, except in designated smoking areas.

She emphasized that these public areas include transportation terminals, markets, social gatherings, and other entertainment venues where large crowds congregate.

“The authority has been conducting a monitoring operation, and it frowns on tobacco products that do not bear warning signs; if you are caught selling such products, your items will be confiscated, and you will face the full force of the law,” she said.

Ms. Kuffour urged all stakeholders to adhere to the guidelines for selling tobacco at their facilities, stating that if they did not have a designated smoking area, they could not operate, and that allowing customers to smoke in public places posed a hazard to non-smokers.

She warned that failure to display a “No Smoking” notice in your establishment, to deter smokers and protect the health of non-smokers, could result in closure by the FDA and serious legal consequences.

Ms. Margaret Gbadago, a participant, stated that she had limited knowledge about the risks associated with tobacco use.

She noted that the information provided today would help reduce health risks, especially for those exposed to second hand smoke.

Another participant, Mr. Yaw Amponsah Isaac, added that the education would help both dealers and smokers in minimizing the health risks related to smoking.

He further noted that while their businesses might be affected, their health was paramount, and it made no sense to prioritize profit over well-being, “so it’s crucial to follow FDA guidelines to ensure the safety of non-smokers.”

Statistics from the Tobacco Atlas indicate that over 6,700 Ghanaians die each year due to tobacco-related diseases, with 66 per cent of these deaths occurring in individuals under the age of 70.

ALSO READ:

• FDA teams up with Ghana Police Service to crack down on tobacco smoke activities

• GRA seizes GH¢7.9 million worth of tobacco products

The campaign involved an interactive session with the students on the harmful effects of tobacco and substance abuse in general.

The Team Lead for TAC, Ms. Mavis Buari highlighted how important the theme is to the Ghanaian community, especially children, adolescents and the youth. “The tobacco industry is now sophisticated such that they produce e-cigarettes that essentially target younger populations. This is so because tobacco generally does not have a pleasant taste.

“However, adding flavours masks the unpleasant taste giving tobacco products a great appeal. This entices children, adolescents and young adults into consuming tobacco which is highly addictive. The WHO reports that smoking is the leading cause of death and is harmful to every organ in the human body.  Therefore, it is our duty as a community to raise awareness on the harmful effects of tobacco and the activities of the tobacco industry,” she said.

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) was created by member states of the World Health Organization in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable deaths and diseases it causes. WNTD is celebrated on 31^st May annually.

This year, the theme for commemorating the day was protecting children from tobacco industry interference.

The club’s legal advisor, Eulalia Buari, added, “TAC’s mission is to raise awareness about critical socio-economic, health, and developmental issues, and advocate for the holistic well-being of marginalized groups. As a club, celebrating this day perfectly aligns with our mission.”

This campaign is the second activity of the club, with the first being a sanitation and hygiene campaign among Kayayei in the Madina Market.

The Patron of the Club, Mr. Harold Lumor added how important the club is in recent times.

“Our current society has brought about an information superhighway. You have to be intentional about what you want to read, listen to and learn. TAC comes to cut through the clutter and focus on the critical emerging issues. Smoking and substance abuse is never the solution to whatever challenge you are facing. In any case, there is a redemption for individuals who are hooked on to it. Seek professional help from doctors and counsellors.”

Ebenezer Sanka, a student shared this, “I have learnt about the harmful effects of tobacco and substance abuse in general and I will make sure I share this knowledge with other students.”

This was in collaboration with the military and other security agencies.

The products were impounded upon illegal entry into Ghana and evading of taxes.

Citi News reports dozens of tobacco boxes, which were being stored in a warehouse in Pulmakom were confiscated due to tax evasion charges.

The Northern and North East Region Commander of the Customs Division, Georgina Lamisi Tibanye, disclosed that intelligence was gathered from British-American Tobacco on September 5th, 2023.

This she said led to the identification of a warehouse in the Upper East Region.

She revealed due to unsafe conditions and the risk of potential attacks, some of the products are still at the warehouse, pending further action.

“We’re dealing with illicit cigarettes which were arrested from Pulmakom in the Upper East Region. We got an intel message on September 5, 2023. There was a warehouse where illicit cigarettes were stored. Three teams were drawn from our headquarters-Accra, Tema collection, Ho and Tamale. We had sent two men on a mission who gave us the location.” she said.

Madam Tibanye  highlighted the team encountered some challenges in transporting the seized tobacco products to their warehouse for further action.

“This exercise was carried out in collaboration with British-American Tobacco, they gave us the intel. We had to engage the military to assist us because of the curfew. The security situation was not favourable, so we had to manage to get what we could get and lock the rest at the warehouse and transported to Tamale. In all, we had 60. 9 million sticks of illicit cigarettes,” she added.

She continued, “Tamale collection on their own also arrested 162 boxes of cigarettes. Before the Pulmakom operation, there was a few that we got together with drugs that are prohibited and some pornographic items which are also going to be destroyed.”

However, Madam Tibanye said the culprits managed to escape but investigations are underway to apprehend them.

She disclosed that, a staggering GHC 7,951,238.39 as the tax losses incurred by GRA from the impounded tobacco products.

Madam Tibanye expressed concern over the billions of cedis lost nationally due to tax evasion, underscoring the detrimental effects on the country’s finances.

ALSO READ:

• GRA seizes GH¢7.9 million worth of tobacco products

• 6,700 Ghanaians die each year from tobacco use

This initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy to promote public health and reduce the negative impacts of tobacco and alcohol use in Ghana.

Tobacco and alcohol consumption have long been recognised as major public health concerns, linked to a range of health issues such as cancer, diabetes, liver problems, hypertension, stroke, and more.

These detrimental effects on health have prompted the advocacy for increased taxes as an effective means to deter usage and reduce the associated health risks.

VALD conducted a Rapid Study on tobacco industry interference in the passage of the excise duty amendment Act 2023.

During a media conference in Accra, Labram Musah, the Executive Director of Programmes at VALD, emphasised the urgent need for price hikes through substantial tobacco excise taxes.

Such increases have been proven to swiftly reduce the affordability of these products, ultimately decreasing their consumption.

Mr Musah shed light on the industry’s efforts to prevent the government from imposing taxes on these products.

It is essential to understand that while tobacco, alcohol, and sugar products have limited benefits to human health, their consumption contributes significantly to various health issues.

Therefore, the call for increased taxes is not only about generating revenue but also about safeguarding the health of the population.

The government has been urged to implement these taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar products.

Such a move is believed to make these items less accessible to the youth who are often influenced by their peers.

It will encourage healthier choices, such as investing in education and well-being, and discourage the consumption of harmful substances.

VALD also suggested that, a portion of the tax revenue from these products should be allocated to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) or similar initiatives aimed at providing support to individuals suffering from the health consequences of tobacco and alcohol use.

Divine Darlington Logo, a researcher at the Ghana Health Service, emphasized the dangerous nature of tobacco and electronic cigarettes.

He stressed the urgent need for intense advocacy to combat the growing consumption of these harmful products, especially among the youth.

The call for increased taxes on tobacco and alcohol products is not just about fiscal policy; it’s a vital step toward protecting public health and curbing the devastating impact of these substances on individuals and society.

As the government prepares for the budget and fiscal policy, this advocacy serves as a plea to prioritise the well-being of the people and the future generation by discouraging the consumption of harmful products.

ALSO READ:

• EOCO, WHO to tackle illicit tobacco trade

• 6,700 Ghanaians die each year from tobacco use

She noted that the illicit tobacco trade poses a challenge as other criminal economic activities could be perpetrated through it.

COP Addo-Danquah made the remarks when a  seven-member delegation made up of officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat (FCTC), Geneva, Switzerland and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) interacted with officials of EOCO on Monday, September 18, 2023.

 The discussion centered on how law enforcement strategies could be adopted in Ghana’s fight against illicit tobacco trade and other challenges in tackling illicit canker.

Head of the Tobacco and Substance Abuse Department of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Mrs. Olivia Agyekumwaa Boateng, who was part of the delegation, disclosed that the FDA is engaged in a needs assessment to determine the extent of the illicit trade and how to tackle it head-on from its regulatory framework.

Speaker after speaker underscored the dangers posed by illicit trade in tobacco and why the menace ought to be dealt with through the active collaboration of all stakeholders.

The Coordinator and Development Assistant of FCTC, Andrew Black added that despite the profitable nature of the illicit tobacco trade, there is a huge global problem with trading illicit tobacco and its risk is large. The Technical Coordinator for Tobacco Control at WHO, Dr. William Maina reiterated the dangers of  Tobacco use, stressing that it is very addictive and one of the causes of the most non-communicable diseases like cancer.

 He bemoaned the unwavering efforts placed on reducing demand, purchase and distribution but not much to reduce the supply. He added that uncertified tobacco is detrimental to one’s health.

Present at the meeting were Dr. Joana Ansong, WHO country representative for Non-Communicable Diseases, and other officials of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat, the UNDP, and some Unit Heads of EOCO. The Executive Director of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah (Mrs) has reiterated the commitment of her outfit to working with other bodies to ensure that laws governing the tobacco trade are complied with to the letter.

She noted that the illicit tobacco trade poses a challenge as other criminal economic activities could be perpetrated through it.

COP Addo-Danquah made the remarks when a seven-member delegation made up of officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat (FCTC), Geneva, Switzerland and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) interacted with officials of EOCO on Monday, September 18, 2023.

 The discussion centred on how law enforcement strategies could be adopted in Ghana’s fight against illicit tobacco trade and other challenges in tackling illicit canker.

Head of the Tobacco and Substance Abuse Department of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Mrs. Olivia Agyekumwaa Boateng, who was part of the delegation, disclosed that the FDA is engaged in a needs assessment to determine the extent of the illicit trade and how to tackle it head-on from its regulatory framework.

Speaker after speaker underscored the dangers posed by illicit trade in tobacco and why the menace ought to be dealt with through the active collaboration of all stakeholders.

The Coordinator and Development Assistant of FCTC, Andrew Black added that despite the profitable nature of the illicit tobacco trade, there is a huge global problem with trading illicit tobacco and its risk is large. The Technical Coordinator for Tobacco Control at WHO, Dr. William Maina reiterated the dangers of Tobacco use, stressing that it is very addictive and one of the causes of the most non-communicable diseases like cancer.

He bemoaned the unwavering efforts placed on reducing demand, purchase and distribution but not much to reduce the supply. He added that uncertified tobacco is detrimental to one’s health.

Present at the meeting were Dr. Joana Ansong, WHO country representative for Non-Communicable Diseases and other officials of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat, the UNDP, and some Unit Heads of EOCO.

Associate health minister Ayesha Verrall said at the law’s passing on Tuesday: “Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the health system will be $5bn better off from not needing to treat the illnesses caused by smoking, such as numerous types of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, amputations.”

New Zealand is believed to be the first country in the world to implement the annually rising smoking age, ensuring tobacco cannot be sold to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.

It will be accompanied by a slew of other measures to make smoking less affordable and accessible, including dramatically reducing the legal amount of nicotine in tobacco products and forcing them to be sold only through specialty tobacco stores, rather than corner stores and supermarkets.

The country has also increased funding for health services and campaigns, and rolled out quitting services specifically for Māori and Pacific communities.

The number of stores legally allowed to sell cigarettes will be reduced to a tenth of their existing levels – from 6,000 to just 600 nationwide. The laws passed their final reading on Tuesday evening, and will come into force in 2023, as New Zealand attempts to reach its goal of making the country “smoke-free” by 2025.

While introducing the law for its first reading in July, Verrall said: “For decades we have permitted tobacco companies to maintain their market share by making their deadly product more and more addictive. It is disgusting and it is bizarre. We have more regulations in this country on the safety of the sale of a sandwich than on a cigarette.

“We want to make sure young people never start smoking so we will make it an offence to sell or supply smoked tobacco products to new cohorts of youth. People aged 14 when the law comes into effect will never be able to legally purchase tobacco.”

“Smoking rates are plummeting,” she added. “Our goal of being smoke-free by 2025 is within reach.”

The new laws, however, will not restrict vape sales. Data indicates that at least some New Zealanders haveswapped their nicotine habit from cigarettes to vapes.

Data released in November showed the number of people smoking daily had fallen to 8% – down from 9.4% last year – marking the lowest rates since records began.

The rise in daily vape users, however, was larger than the drop in daily smokers: 8.3% of adults are now vaping daily, up from 6.2% in the past year.

MORE:

• Ghana Cedi: From worst to best performer against dollar

• Kweku Baako mourns after being hit with sad news

• Armed men kill Nollywood actor Pawpaw’s brother

That’s according to the Food and Drugs Authority which says a comprehensive tobacco control policy will be used to enforce the ban.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has selected Ghana as a Phase three-country to help attain a tobacco-free status.

Chief Executive of the Authority, Delese Mimi Darko, outlined some strategies to help attain this at the WHO FCTC 2030 Project launch.

“The object is geared towards developing and implementing a comprehensive national tobacco control strategy. And strengthening inter-agency coordination of the WHO FCTC implementation through capacity building.

“Implementation and enforcement of a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising and depiction in entertainment media,” she said on Thursday.

On his part, the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, admitted that lack of implementation on laws has caused the abuse of tobacco products.

He has, however, pledged his Ministry’s support to help achieve a tobacco-free country.

“The FCTC Project 2030 is currently underway and I am grateful to the WHO, UNDP for the technical support,” he noted.

MORE:

• Two policemen dismissed for impregnating 15 female police trainees

• I will die with Kofi Kinaata – Actress Pascaline Edwards

• Adwoa Safo trends after E-Levy passage

The data also revealed that, more than 425,200 men, 69,200 women and 2,700 boys smoke cigarettes each day in Ghana, making the trend a dire public health threat.

However, the Ghana Youth Tobacco Survey, 2017 showed that the prevalence of shisha use is higher in girls (1.7%) than boys (1.6%).

These were disclosed during the virtual commemoration of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) in Ghana on the theme, “Protecting the youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use.”

Convened by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), the Day created an opportunity to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use, second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

ALSO READ:

• What I will do to my son if he spends money on girls and booze – MP
• Shocking: Man spotted deep kissing little girl [Video]
• Sarkodie warned over Sammy Gyamfi’s cartoon gaffe

Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Delesi Darko, addressing the meeting said tobacco products are known to contain 7,000 chemicals; hundreds of which are known to be toxic and about 69 are carcinogenic, examples are Benzene, Arsenic, Cadmuim, Carbon monoxide and Formaldehyde. 

“Tobacco use is responsible for 25% of all cancer deaths globally. Use of nicotine and tobacco products increases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease,” she said.

She said the Authority in collaboration with NUGS has initiated an aggressive anti- shisha campaign to dispel the notion that the tobacco product was less harmful.

She also noted that despite the presenting statistics, Ghana has made significant strides in tobacco control in line with the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act No. 851 of 2012) and the Tobacco Control Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2247), such as, the continual enforcement of tobacco control measures and the implementation of pictorial health warnings.

She said in order to totally eliminate the threat of tobacco use, Ghana continues to join member states and the WHO to advance in the fight against tobacco use.

Between 2000 and 2016, current tobacco smoking prevalence rates declined from 27% to 20%. However, the pace of action to reduce tobacco demand and related death and disease is lagging behind global and national commitments to reduce tobacco use by 30% by 2025.

The World Health Organization maintains that if the trend continues, the world will achieve only 22% reduction by 2025 (WHO).

“Every year, 146 000 Africans die from tobacco-related diseases. Illness related to tobacco use accounts for 3.5% of annual total health expenditure in the Region,” said WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti during the virtual meeting.
She said to support Member States to counter tobacco industry interference, ‘we will continue working with partners to debunk myths, expose manipulation tactics and strengthen healthy policies.’

Dr Moeti used the platform to call on all young people to join the fight against the tobacco epidemic.

“I encourage youth groups to build a movement for a tobacco-free generation. I urge celebrities and influencers to reject all forms of tobacco industry sponsorship.I call upon parents, caregivers and teachers to educate children on the harms of tobacco products use and advocate for 100% smoke-free public places and banning all forms of tobacco advertising,” she added.

Secret documents

The Panorama programme alleged that BAT, whose brands include Dunhill and Pall Mall cigarettes, had made illegal payments to politicians and civil servants in East Africa.
The BBC spent five months investigating and was shown hundreds of secret documents purporting to show backhanders to various officials, including MPs and even people working for a rival company in East Africa.
BAT told Panorama at the time: “The truth is that we do not and will not tolerate corruption, no matter where it takes place.”
Following the news of the official SFO investigation, BAT said in a statement: “As previously announced, we are investigating, through external legal advisers, allegations of misconduct.
“We have been co-operating with the Serious Fraud Office (“SFO”) and British American Tobacco (“BAT”) has been informed that the SFO has now opened a formal investigation. BAT intends to co-operate with that investigation.”
The SFO, which Prime Minister Theresa May suggested during this year’s election campaign should be closed down, has this year fined engine maker Rolls-Royce £500m for bribery and Tesco £130m for mis-stating its accounts.
Shares in BAT were down almost 4% at the start of trading before recovering to a gain of 2%.
They have had a rocky ride in recent days after the US Food and Drug Administration announced it planned to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes. Its shares have lost about 10% since the FDA’s statement on Friday.