NGO inaugurates anti-smoking drive, urges tobacco ban
By Blessing Ibegbu
The Executive Director of Cedars Refuge Foundation (CRF), Mr Peter Unekwu-Ojo, has called on the Federal Government to ban all flavoured tobacco and nicotine products in Nigeria.
Unekwu-Ojo made the appeal on Thursday during the inauguration of the Students Congress Against Tobacco (SCAT) initiative at Lyngra Private Montessori School in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The programme marks the beginning of what CRF describes as a “tobacco-free revolution” among Nigerian youths.
Speaking to students, Unekwu-Ojo warned of the dangers of tobacco consumption and the deceptive tactics employed by the global tobacco industry.
He said the SCAT initiative, a flagship advocacy programme of CRF, aimed to expose and counter the tactics.
He stressed the urgent need for federal action, calling for a nationwide ban on flavoured tobacco and nicotine products, as well as the enforcement of school-based prevention programmes.
He also urged increased tobacco taxation, stricter penalties for illegal marketing to minors, and stronger support for grassroots youth advocacy platforms like SCAT.
“The tobacco industry is a well-dressed cartel selling flavoured slavery.
“They are not selling lifestyle; they are selling addiction, bubble-wrapped in mango flourish and influencer smiles that end up destroying young lives,” he said.
Unekwu-Ojo added that SCAT, which was now active in schools across Abuja and Nasarawa State, promoted in-school advocacy, peer-led clubs, creative campaigns, and dialogue with educational stakeholders.
He noted that the tobacco industry increasingly targeted young people through flavoured products, digital marketing, and novel nicotine devices disguised as harmless lifestyle accessories.
“It’s the same poison, just packaged in sleek tech and tropical flavours,” he said.
He described the visit to Lyngra Montessori School as transformative, stating that students left “informed and ignited” with the motivation to defend their future.
“If we do not protect the future in classrooms, we will be fighting addiction in clinics. The choice is ours, and the time is now,” he added.
Mr Abba Owoicho, CRF’s Programme/Operations Officer, emphasised the need for systemic reforms and multi-sectoral coordination.
“We are witnessing a silent epidemic thriving on ignorance and regulatory loopholes. SCAT is not just a campaign; it’s a counter-offensive.
“We must enforce existing laws, reform policies, and dismantle the glamorous myths around tobacco. The youth are awake, we must match their passion with protection,” he said.
He called for collaboration between the education, health, and law enforcement sectors to stem the rising tide of youth addiction.
Mrs Blessing Onu, Head Teacher at Lyngra Private Montessori School, welcomed the initiative and said the school would establish a Tobacco-Free Club to help students resist harmful influences.
“Our students will not be left defenceless in the face of such a manipulative industry,” she said.
Mr Pius Nnaemeka, a senior teacher at the school, issued a passionate appeal to national stakeholders:
“If we continue to play soft while our children inhale poison, history will not forgive us.
“The government must outlaw flavoured tobacco, fund preventive education, and support civil society groups championing the cause.”
Miss Blessing Obiabo, a senior secondary school student, emphasised the urgency of the message.
“We are not fools, this is our future, and we are taking it back. We need to tell the tobacco industry to stop poisoning our lungs and dulling our dreams.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SCAT programme is set to expand to 30 schools across the country by the end of 2025, building a national youth network committed to a smoke-free generation.
Cedars Refuge Foundation is a public health and youth advocacy nonprofit organisation dedicated to building resilient, tobacco-free communities in Nigeria and across Africa.
Through SCAT, the group is empowering the next generation to challenge the influence of the tobacco industry and speak truth to power. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Abiemwense Moru
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