Francisca Amuzu, a Youth Advocate with the Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development
Ms Francisca Amuzu, a Youth Advocate with the Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Ghana (VAST-Ghana) has called on the government and other stakeholders to step up actions to protect the youth from tobacco industry manipulative tactics.
She said, “To tobacco industry, we are just potential customers, lured into a cycle of addiction with products that steal our glow.
“They have swapped the “cool” cigarettes of the past for shisha, vapes, and e-cigarettes, dressing them up as “safer alternatives” or “trendy.”
“We therefore call on the Government, the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drugs Authority, the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, civil society organizations, our parents, guardians, teachers, traditional leaders, and everyone to save your daughters, sisters, and future leaders from these manipulative tactics.”
Ms Amuzu in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency as part of the commemoration of the 2025 World No Tobacco Day said, “no matter how glamorous tobacco and nicotine products are marketed, harm is still harm.”
She stated that tobacco and nicotine products raise the risks of heartbreaking pregnancy complications such as preterm births, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, stillbirth, or miscarriages.
“Not just that, but also make us more vulnerable to respiratory issues, heart disease, and cancers that could dim our light far too soon. Yet, the industry keeps coming for us, glamorizing addiction, exploiting our vulnerabilities, and using our favourite influencers to pull us in. They’re trying to steal our future, but we are stronger than that,” she pointed out.
She said, “As we mark World No Tobacco Day 2025, let’s unmask the tobacco industry’s tricks and peel back the lies that have endangered so many of us. Being seen, heard, and loved should not mean sacrificing our health or our dreams.”
She encouraged women and girls to stand up against the tobacco industry lies, saying, “This is our time to rise and be heard. Let’s stand together, hand in hand, and demand protection from an industry that preys on our dreams.
“You do not need tobacco or nicotine products to belong, to shine, to be valued, or to fit in. Your voice matters, your dreams are valid, and your future deserves to be free from harm. Let’s fight for a future where we can thrive, free from the tobacco industry’s grip,” Ms Amuzu concluded.