As smoking rates fall in the West, experts have warned that tobacco use is set to double in Africa over the next 12 years.
At the moment though Africa makes up 14% of the world’s population, it only accounts for 4% of the world’s smokers. However a joint report by the Global Smokefree Partnership and the American Cancer Society has shown that tobacco use is set to double in the continent over the coming years.
The two organisations have warned that 90% of the population have no protection against second-hand smoke and have called for smoking bans to be introduced, similar to those brought in in America, the U.K and Europe, banning smoking in public places. They have also said that tobacco should have higher taxation and the price of cigarettes should be doubled.
The report however praised certain countries for their efforts to prevent smoking-related deaths, marking out Kenya and Nigeria for legislation introduced over the past year banning smoking in public spaces. South Africa also introduced the laws in 2007.
The report also indicated that many Africans were unaware of the dangers of second hand smoke, citing a survey in Nigeria which showed that 55% of school students were unaware that second-hand smoke was injurious to health.
The American Cancer Society warned that in 2010, 6 million people would die from smoking-related conditions, 72% of those in low-and-middle income countries.The report suggested that doubling the price of cigarettes through taxation in the developing world could cut the rate of smoking by 60%.