Ghana Urged to Strengthen Enforcement of Tobacco Laws

Ghana Public Health Tobacco Law

The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana), a civil society organization, has called on the Ghanaian government to strengthen the enforcement of laws regulating tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and to close existing regulatory loopholes. In a statement marking International Youth Day, the organization urged the implementation of higher, earmarked taxes on these products to protect the nation’s youth.

Mr. Labram M. Musah, Executive Director of VAST-Ghana, stated that the day’s theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” aligns with their objective to safeguard young people from health-harming products. He highlighted rising alcohol consumption among youth, driven by cheap, high-alcohol-content products and aggressive marketing that often disguises risks as “social fun.” Similarly, he noted that unhealthy diets fueled by SSBs and ultra-processed foods are causing an epidemic of obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

VAST-Ghana expressed deep concern over the limited access to cessation and rehabilitation programs for tobacco and alcohol addiction, noting that existing services are under-resourced. The organization called for well-funded, youth-friendly cessation centers nationwide. Despite existing regulations, these harmful products remain cheap and widely available to minors through unregulated channels. VAST-Ghana echoed recommendations from the recent African Health Sovereignty Summit, emphasizing that higher taxes deter youth initiation and generate revenue for prevention and education programs. The statement also called for the adoption of front-of-pack warning labels and intensified advocacy to combat shisha use, vaping, and alcohol misuse, with youth voices at the center of these efforts.

Matthew Ma
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