Ghana's Tobacco Deaths Hit 5000 Annually
Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater 
Data released by Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) indicates that every year more than 5000 people died through the consumption of tobacco products in the country.
In Ghana, according to the information from VALD, tobacco-related deaths exceed 5000 annually and its associated annual economic burden is estimated at GH¢97 million.
The increasing rate of deaths associated with the consumption of tobacco products in the country has informed the decision of VALD to raise the red flag thereby calling on stakeholders to rally support for tobacco control initiatives to reduce the crime rate in the tobacco trade and increase revenue for health and development.
The organization said the reason for the illicit trade protocol was clear that; “Recognising the enormity of illicit trade in tobacco products, the international community came together to draw up the protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products as well as provide guidance on the development of comprehensive strategies to address the problem.”
“Currently many countries in the African region had started requiring a picture health warning on tobacco products and we are happy to also note Ghana is among those countries requiring pictures on their pack. Not forgetting the tax stamps being implemented by the Ghana Revenue Authority,” it stated.
The VALD said it was one excellent effort to control illicit trade, that had exposed the weaknesses at the country’s borders, adding that: “We hope that there will be a lot more consultation on the way forward in regards shisha in Ghana.”
The VALD could not fathom why the
tobacco consumption and influence transcends to all corners of the globe, threatening lives and livelihoods and endangering the health and prosperity of developed and developing nations alike.
This was revealed to this news outlet by the Director of Programmes in VLAD, Mr. Labram Musah in an interview in Accra today to share key highlights of the study on the economics and tobacco taxation in Ghana.
The study was scheduled to be launched on January 25, 2022, in Accra.
According to VALD, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes tax price policies as one of the most effective strategies for combating the tobacco pandemic by reducing demand for tobacco products, while also being a reliable source of revenue for development.
However, the organization noted that tobacco taxation is underutilized in Ghana, thereby making it affordable and accessible to all, including children.
According to the organization, the country has not taken advantage of the enormous benefits tobacco taxation presents as a means to deter consumption and also provide a reliable source of revenue for health financing and development.
To help curb these challenges, it revealed that the VALD, with support from the Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), facilitated the study on the Economics of Tobacco Taxation in Ghana.
The VALD contended that this study undoubtedly provides evidence-based insights into the nature of Ghana’s tobacco tax and price structure.
"It also provides useful and practical recommendations for effecting tobacco friendly tax policies in line with the objectives of the tobacco control laws in Ghana’s Public Health Act (Act 851) which was passed in 2012, as well as Ghana’s obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
"Taxation has been one of the main tools to control tobacco consumption, including import duties and investment levies, however, the structure of Ghana’s tobacco tax needs to be revised," it said.
The organization mentioned that, the study identified a significant relationship between price reforms and consumption, such that an increase in price taxes results in a decline in consumption.
"While tobacco taxation was the key highlight of the study on the Economics of Tobacco Taxation in Ghana, other non-tax measures such as pictorial health warnings, smoke-free environment, etc were accounted for," it said.
It’s in this regard that, VALD called on policymakers, advocates, and the media to have a shared understanding of the potential role that tobacco taxes can play in reducing tobacco use, improving health, and mobilizing domestic resources within the broader lens of tax justice.
It stressed that fiscal policies such as effective tobacco taxation mechanisms can be a key factor in addressing the dire socio-economic consequences brought on by the covid-19 pandemic.
As such, it noted that the interventions such as tobacco taxation should be part of Ghana’s comprehensive strategy to build back better.
Ghana has been a world leader in introducing anti-tobacco legislation, having been the first country to prohibit advertising, under a government directive issued as early as 1982.
Ghana has also been an active member in the development of the WHO FCTC, being one of the first five African countries to become a party to the Convention, and the 39th country to sign the FCTC (on the 20th June 2003), and ratifying the Convention on the 29th November 2004. 6,7 Ghana has also performed an active role by chairing committee meetings at the 1st and 2nd Conferences of the Parties, in Geneva (2006) and in Thailand (2007) respectively.
It also played a significant role in tobacco control activities and programs worldwide such as the Framework Convention Alliance seminar for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Africa Regional Office (AFRO) region in 2007; the 1st session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on the Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products in Geneva in February 2008; and hosting the WHO sponsored Consultation on Regional Capacity Building for Tobacco Control in Africa. 8,9
In 2012, the Government of Ghana passed the Public Health Act (851) which includes the Tobacco Control Act that includes measures on smoking in public places; tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; tobacco packaging and labeling, and others.
Following the Act in 2012, The Tobacco Control Regulations (L.I. 2247) entered into force on January 4th, 2017, which provided 18 months for compliance with public smoking restrictions, among other measures and 18 months for compliance with pictorial health warnings from the date the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) issued the new health warnings electronically.
