The World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted great concern over the continued use of different forms of tobacco, especially among the young population, despite significant strides in public health awareness. 

The concerns noted by the WHO Officer in Charge of Namibia, Dr. Mary Brantuo, were shared by WHO representative Laimi Ashipala at the World No Tobacco Day commemoration at Tsumeb in Oshikoto on Friday.

Although tobacco use in the adult group has recorded a decline in 2023, it has picked up in the young adolescent population, especially among girls.

"It is concerning that 13% of young adolescent girls use tobacco products. A trend that is on the increase. In the Namibian context, about 11% of young people aged between 13 and 15 use tobacco. These numbers emphasise that tobacco use in Namibia remains a significant public health concern. We know that young people are exposed to tobacco products through extensive social media and streaming platform campaigns, as well as the use of social media influencers to promote tobacco products to the youth covertly. This poses a significant threat to their health and well-being."

Dr. Brantuo called on the government to revise the Namibia Tobacco Control Act to work together with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to address the emergence of new tobacco and nicotine products that attract young people.

Health and Social Services Deputy Minister Dr. Ester Muinjangue said that although Namibia has adopted and implemented legal frameworks to combat tobacco use, there is still a need to regulate vaping tobacco products.

"With the support of WHO, the Ministry of Health and Social Services is planning to amend the Tobacco Act in order to regulate the vaping of tobacco products and also to develop the tobacco strategic plan for the country in June 2024. This will help to control the mushrooming of novel tobacco products such as Hubbly Bubbly and electronic cigarettes. Tobacco use is a decades-old pandemic that needs to end once and for all, across the world, as an imperative to sustainable development."

According to the WHO, the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats and accounts for eight million deaths globally.

Speaking on behalf of Oshikoto Governor Penda Ya Ndakolo, Tsumeb Constituency Councillor Gottlieb Ndjendjela stressed that commemorating World No Tobacco Day is to highlight the dangers and educate all on tobacco use.

"I therefore would like to take this opportunity to urge parents not to socialise their children into smoking. When children grow up with parents and adults who smoke, they will view that as cool and will soon or later start smoking. Let us all join hands to break this vicious cycle. This event is not only significant in renewing our efforts to educate the future generation on the effects of tobacco consumption but most importantly in showing how the tobacco industry can deceive them through their promotion and advertising, as they want to trap them into believing that tobacco is good."

Giving motivation against tobacco use was recovering tobacco user Hurbert Shikongo, who said, "Remember, there is no safe form of tobacco smoke. Whether smoked, chewed, or ingested, tobacco products contain harmful substances that affect your health. If you are considering quitting but don't know how, please seek support and explore available resources to help on your journey to a tobacco-free life."

World No Tobacco Day is commemorated annually on May 31, with this year's theme titled "Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference."