Children and youth exposure to tobacco products in Ghana

Background and Challenges to Implementation Ghana Global Tobacco Youth Survey (2009) showed that 8.9% of students had ever smoked cigarettes and 12.5% currently use any tobacco product. Public Health Act 2012 bans tobacco advertisement close to school and children playing ground and sales to and by minors. The law has been violated. Cigarettes are sold closed to schools, children play ground and children buy and sell. Retailers are not aware of the laws. SDGs will not be achieved if children are not protected. The project sought to draw attention to the violations of the law and to ensure that children are protected from tobacco. Intervention/response Data were collected in some selected communities in Greater Accra targeting aged 15-18 years to ascertain the level of compliance to cigarette sales to and by minor and sales close to schools as enshrined in the law. Retailers and community members were interviewed. The findings of this exercise was shared with stakeholders. Results/Outcomes Out of 10 retail shops, 7 indicated were not aware of the laws banning sales to and by minors and 3 knew about the law. 5 out of the 10 shops sells to children but enquires who sent them, 3 sell to children without enquiring and 2 do not sell to children. 7 out of the 10 shops sell close to schools and 3 do not. 6 out of 10 displays cigarette on the counter visible to children. Conclusion/Recommendation Community members were not aware of the law on tobacco control. School going children are exposed to tobacco. Retailers and community member have been sensitized on the tobacco law. Effort must be made to intensify awareness on the provisions of the law. Set-up taskforce to monitor compliance of the law. Conduct further research and findings on the children exposure to tobacco