According to Pediatricians, 2.4m Nigerians smoke cigarette daily

Despite the campaign against the consumption of tobacco, the number of Nigerians who smoke cigarettes stands at about 3.1 million, the Paediatric Association of Nigeria has said.

The organisation put the daily number of Nigerian smokers at 2.4 million and warned that by 2030, it had been estimated that about eight million persons worldwide would die annually from tobacco use.

According to PAN, smoking has a record of causing respiratory tract infections, decreased lung function, asthma attacks, ear infections and tooth decay.

Others included sudden infant death syndrome, death from respiratory infection, asthma, cognitive and behavioural issues, including the likelihood of becoming smokers.

The Technical Director of PAN and Chief Medical Director of Bingham University Teaching Hospital in Jos, Prof. Edwin Eseigbe, stated these in Abuja, while delivering a paper titled, ‘Protecting the Nigerian child from tobacco use and smoke through anti-tobacco advocacy and capacity development.’

(Ladun Liadi)