Nigeria: Environmental rights group tasks FG on illicit tobacco trade

For tobacco control measures to be effective, the Federal Government must take pro-active measures to tackle the inflow of illicit tobacco products into the country, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has said. The group in a statement released to mark this year’s World No Tobacco Day (WNTD)  said the Tobacco Control   Law recently signed by former President, Goodluck Jonathan, can only be effective if high taxes are imposed on tobacco products and effective actions  taken to  end the availability of cheap products through smuggling. With this years theme of “Stop Illicit Trade In Tobacco”,  the WHO says “Eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco would generate an annual tax windfall of US$ 31 billion for governments, improve public health, help cut crime and curb an important revenue source for the tobacco industry.