Tabacco control : As Kano/Jigawa rank higher consumers CISLAC engages stakeholders
From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre ( CISLAC) with support from Tax Justice Network organised a one day multi-stakeholders engagement on Tabacco taxation in Jigawa with aims to reduce tabacco use as it’s dangerous to health.
The high level stakeholders engagement that focused more on how state government can adopt some National Frameworks for Tabacco control held on Wednesday at three star hotel Dutse.
Speaking at the meeting, the CISLAC senior programs officer Solomon Adoga said, it’s unfortunate that research shows Kano/ Jigawa are on top list states in use of Tabacco in Nigeria, while majority of users are youths some with minor age.
He explained that, “to control use of Tabacco it is of Paramount that Jigawa state government to adopt and domesticate National Tabacco control Act(2015) and Tabacco Tax Policy to save lives of our youth who are future leaders in our state.
” Some of the laws that need to be adopted include ban on sell of cigarettes single stick, prohibition of smoking in public places and sells of Tabacco to minors ( under eighteen years old) in the state”, Solomon quoted.
The senior programs officer added that, the purpose of engaging and interacting with relevant stakeholders like traditional) religious leaders, youth groups, civil society organisations and media is to help in creating awareness on the dangers of Tabacco as well to advocate to both lagislative and executives to domesticate and adopt the laws.
Mr Solomon then urged the participants to support the moves by amplifying their voices to achieve the desired goals for better future development of the state and to save thousands lives of our teeming youths.
