Report calls for immediate action against threat posed by tobacco use in Africa

A report by the Network of African Science Academies has called for immediate action to prevent what it says is the growing threat posed by tobacco use in Africa, according to a SpyGhana.com story.

The report, Preventing a Tobacco Epidemic in Africa: A Call for Effective Action to Support Health, Social, and Economic Development, assesses the health, economic, social and environmental effects of tobacco production and use in Africa.

And it reviews current tobacco-control efforts and examines tobacco industry tactics to undermine those efforts.

Among the key conclusions of the report is that smoking prevalence in Africa will increase by nearly 39 percent by 2030: from 15.8 percent in 2010 to 21.9 percent.

Africa is expected to experience the largest regional increase during that period.

The report said that the tobacco industry targeted women disproportionally but that young people represented the largest potential market for tobacco.

“Tobacco-related death and disease are certain to increase in the absence of strong action to prevent tobacco use,” the report said. “The increase in death and disease caused by tobacco could have devastating effects on public health, development efforts, and economic growth in African countries.”

The full story is at http://www.spyghana.com/tobacco-control-in-africa-to-get-urgent-attention/.