Have you tried holding a pack of
Benson and Hedges in your hands? I still remember visiting the mallam’s kiosk
to inquire about the price of cigarettes and I was able to get an empty pack
from him. Holding the pack almost made me feel like I had just won a trophy.
The pack is plated in gold and the edges are perfectly folded. When you lift
the partially detachable lid along the slant divide by the sides, the word that
best describes what you see is - Flawless.
I can say that what I held in my
hand was designed to be comely and attractive. An addictive product packaged
attractively and with comeliness will win the heart and mind of its users and
effortlessly record new converts. Without a doubt, no responsible and concerned
Nigerian citizen would want to have a product proven to be the world’s leading
cause of preventable death to be so gracefully packaged and presented to the
general public but sadly, that is what is currently obtained in our country.
Nigeria had actually made some
major attempts at regulating the tobacco industry in order to discourage the
deadly act of smoking. The most notable one was in 1990 when the Tobacco Smoking (Control) Act was enacted and it is as a result
of this law that cigarette packets now bear the amount of tar and nicotine
contained in them. The law also got us familiar with these sentences-
·
“The
Federal Ministry of health warns that tobacco smoking is dangerous to your
health”
·
“Smokers
are liable to die young”
The Advertising Practitioners
Council of Nigeria (APCON) went a step further in August 2011 when it banned
the advertising or promotion of tobacco products on television and restricted
advertisement in print, billboards and on radio. Although the move was opposed
in some quarters which led the council to extend the deadline for enforcing the
ban from January 1, 2001 to January 1, 2004, the ban is largely in effect
across the country today. I guess the APCON ban explains why the jingle
"Siga Target o, na wa, siga target o na super" ceased on radio and
why Golden Tones concerts have long stopped paying the bills in Nigeria’s
showbiz industry.
It will interest you to know that
the African continent has been recording increase in smoking rate (4.7%
annually) while other parts of the world such as North America and Western
Europe are seeing notable decrease in smoking prevalence. This shows we need to
institute stronger measures that will produce the much desired results of 0%
increase in new adopters and decline in number of people who smoke.
We believe these desires and even
more can be met through enactment and enforcement of the new proposed National
Tobacco Control Bill that requires among other provisions that all cigarette
packs bear clear health warning messages and/or labels covering 50% of the
pack’s display area (The health warning on packs at present only covers
approximately 30% of the front and 40% of the back). In addition,
the new law will also empower the Minister of Health to prescribe that these
warnings should be in form of pictures or pictograms.
Based on this, cigarette packs
might be looking like any of the pictures below.
Now, how many people do you think you will be
enticed into buying this product with their money?You can join our campaign to
ensure a smoke-free Nigeria by signing up as a Tobacco Control Cause Champion.
Simply send your 1) Name, 2) Email address, 3) Telephone No and 4) Location to
info(at)socialresponsibilitymanagers.org. Signing up will get you a chance to
have a specially designed Facebook, Twitter and G+ profile banner graced with
Stella Damasus' picture.
You should also actively
participate in the discussions presently ongoing on the following social
media platforms:
- Twitter: Follow @TobaccoCtrl
- Facebook: Visit and like Tobaccoctrl
- Google Plus: add Tobaccoctrl to your circle
- 2go: add Tobaccoctrl
THIS
ARTICLE ORIGINATED FROM: http://titilayoobishineshine.blogspot.com/
I don't think it will ever be possible..as day goes by,more people get addicted to it the more and more deaths are recorded...anyway God help us
ReplyDelete@Nnemelu Yes o God help us. Actually many civil society organisations and even the government is working on reducing smoking prevalence in Nigeria. Legislation does help a lot as proven in some countries and we're looking forward to the enactment of WHO-compliant Tobacco Control laws.
ReplyDeleteI find out most people smoke for majorly 3reasons. 1, peer pressure, 2, depression and frustration and 3, curiosity and then it becomes a habit and then an addiction. But all these still balls down to the family which makes our society. If our families can be natured well in the way of The Lord, I believe no one or let me say very few will be find in the deadly and habitual act. God help nigeria, God bless nigeria.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you dear
ReplyDeleteI wonder why people smoke inspite of knowing that it is not safe. Not only smoking is bad for smokers but it is also dangerous for passive smokers, children, and pregnant ladies also.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
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