The Meals and Medicine Authority (FDA) has seized portions of illicit tobacco and associated merchandise throughout a swoop at a number of focused places in Accra.
The operation, carried out on yesterday, was geared toward clamping down on outlets identified for the illegal sale and distribution of tobacco merchandise, notably these considered enticing to the youth.
Through the operation, the FDA confiscated a variety of unapproved merchandise from 5 outlets.
These included shisha flavors, cigarettes, vapes, cigars, nitrous oxide canisters, and tobacco wraps.
All of the merchandise seized have been both unregistered or had expired registrations, making their sale unlawful below Ghanaian legislation.
Talking to the media after the train, the Head of the Tobacco Merchandise Division on the FDA, Mrs Jemima Odonko, underlined that the swoop shaped a part of actions lined as much as commemorate this yr’s World No Tobacco Day.
She defined that the FDA regularly undertakes such enforcement actions, however this specific one was particular due to its connection to the worldwide anti-tobacco marketing campaign noticed yearly on Might 31.
Mrs Odonko additional emphasised the risks of tobacco and associated merchandise, stating that there was no secure type of tobacco.
She warned that even artificial options, akin to e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and flavoured vapes, are equally dangerous.
In line with her, these products are sometimes introduced as safer choices, particularly to younger folks, however in actuality, they’re poisonous and never authorized on the market in Ghana.
Moreover, she defined that most of the merchandise seized through the swoop had been smuggled into the nation by way of unlawful means.
“This stuff are sometimes marketed in enticing packaging and with candy flavours to enchantment to younger customers, creating the misunderstanding that they’re innocent,” she burdened.
Mrs Odonko acknowledged that the theme for this yr’s World No Tobacco Day is ‘Unmasking the Enchantment: Exposing the Business Techniques on Tobacco and Nicotine Merchandise.’
Furthermore, she talked about that this theme highlights how the tobacco business continues to make use of misleading ways to advertise their merchandise, particularly among the many youth.
She then urged the general public to pay attention to these ways and to keep away from such merchandise.
As a part of the marketing campaign, she mentioned, the FDA additionally enterprise training programmes in colleges to sensitise college students on the risks of tobacco and artificial nicotine merchandise.
