Public Health Advocate and Lagos State Ministry of Health consultant Godswill Iboma has called on Nigeria to develop a locally tailored framework on tobacco harm reduction. This framework would consider emerging nicotine products and evolving international evidence on harm reduction. Iboma's call comes as global debate intensifies over the role of non-combustible nicotine products in tobacco-control strategies. He stressed that such products should not be presented as risk-free or as a substitute for preventing nicotine use and helping smokers quit.
Nigeria already has a national tobacco-control framework, with the Federal Government implementing measures under the National Tobacco Control Act and related regulations. Iboma said the next phase should focus on incorporating emerging evidence without weakening protections against tobacco use, particularly among young people. He emphasized that regulation should protect the public, prevent unintended initiation, and address illicit or substandard products. Policymakers should also consider whether properly regulated alternatives could have a role for adult smokers.
The central argument behind tobacco harm reduction is that adults who continue to smoke combustible cigarettes could potentially reduce their exposure to harmful substances by switching completely to alternatives that do not involve burning tobacco. Iboma stated that a credible harm-reduction framework should provide smokers with accurate information about the relative risks of available products. This would enable them to make informed decisions in consultation with health professionals.
The debate is taking place against a backdrop of competing views over how Nigeria should regulate newer nicotine products. Tobacco-control advocates have expressed concerns that greater availability of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches could undermine existing safeguards and encourage nicotine use among young people. The World Health Organization has called on governments to apply strong controls to emerging nicotine products.
Countries such as Sweden and Japan have become prominent reference points in the international debate. Sweden's declining smoking prevalence has been linked to its long-term tobacco-control measures and the availability of smoke-free nicotine products. Japan has recorded a significant shift in cigarette consumption following the introduction of heated tobacco products. However, Iboma said these experiences should be treated as evidence to study rather than templates for Nigeria to copy.
Iboma emphasized that Nigeria should assess the evidence against its own population, healthcare system, and consumer realities. This would require more Nigerian research into patterns of nicotine use, the behavior of smokers, and the potential effects of switching products. Healthcare professionals would also need access to independent, peer-reviewed evidence and continuing education to discuss cessation and harm-reduction options with patients responsibly.
For policymakers, the challenge is to balance any potential role for lower-risk alternatives among adult smokers with measures designed to prevent youth uptake, protect non-smokers, and maintain restrictions on tobacco marketing and promotion. Iboma said the objective should remain measurable public-health outcomes: fewer smokers, lower exposure to harmful toxins, and fewer smoking-related diseases.
Key points
- Nigeria should develop an evidence-based policy on tobacco harm reduction to reduce smoking-related disease.
- A credible harm-reduction framework should provide smokers with accurate information about the relative risks of available products.
- Nigeria should assess the evidence against its own population, healthcare system, and consumer realities when developing a tobacco harm reduction policy.
