In his speech, the director of the CEG of Abena, Nguertolbate Djimongbaye underlines that smoking is a real scourge which is decimating Chadian youth. “We expect the PNLTAD to provide the necessary and effective tools to combat this phenomenon and make our establishment a tobacco-free space,” he said.
For her part, the coordinator of the tobacco, alcohol and drug control program at the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention, Dr Nenodji Mbario recalled the data, with more than 5,000 young people and adolescents aged 10 to 14 years who use tobacco every day.
This is worrying not only for this segment of the population, but also for thousands of people who are exposed to second-hand smoke from this consumption.
A large part of Chadian youth consume tobacco, i.e. 11.5%, and other young people are exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke, i.e. 23.3% and 44.5% respectively at home and in closed public places such as as well as schools and film clubs.
It should be remembered that in most cases, tobacco industries use an arsenal of strategies, including marketing, traditional advertising or the free offer of tobacco products, to get young people to become interested in this consumption.
According to global estimates, almost 9 out of 10 smokers start smoking before the age of 18, and 98% before the age of 26.
