Addressing a Threat to the Healthfulness of Tomorrow’s Generation: The Case of Cigarette Smoking in Nigeria

Abstract

Cigarette smoking has widely received the attention of international and local health bodies. Efforts are being made towards curbing smoking prevalence globally with a view to reduce the health, economic and social effects of smoking in the society. While some developed countries are recording success in this effort mainly through stringent tobacco control policies and educating the public, Nigeria is yet to actively key into the WHO-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) which she signed in June 28 2004 (Nigeria: Report card on the WHO-FCTC, n.d.). With the stalling of the process of formulating a viable tobacco control policy in Nigeria through politics and politicking, it is important that other strategies which will help in reducing smoking prevalence especially among the youth be explored. This article looks at the psychosocial risk influences for smoking among Nigerian youth with a view to inform educational and psychosocial interventions that can help to reduce smoking uptake by the youth.