• Government must invest in promoting tobacco cessation.
• Offering help to quit tobacco use is one of six cost effective measures that help countries reduce demand for tobacco.
• Tobacco kills over 7,400 Zambians per year.

Zambia Tobacco Control Consortium has called on Government to invest in promoting cessation, by developing evidence based, cost effective national strategies and guidelines to help cigarette smokers quit smoking.
Speaking during a media briefing to commemorate World No Tobacco Day, Association Chairperson Professor Fatson Goma said offering help to quit tobacco use is one of six cost effective and high impact measures that help countries reduce demand for tobacco.
Professor Goma noted that it is estimated that Tobacco kills over 7,400 Zambians per year, 60 percent of whom are under 70 years of age and causes loss of between 116 and 427 healthy years of life.
He also revealed that according to the Tobacco Control investment case 2018 and the non-communicable diseases investment case 2019 of the economic damage tobacco use is causing to the nation, Zambia loses in excess of K 2.8 billion per year.
“At a time when Tobacco companies are investing massively in strategies and technology aimed at initiating young people to their products, we must not forget that the industry already has at least 1.4 Million Zambians using its products, over 80 percent of whom are based in rural areas,” Professor Goma disclosed.
Professor Goma also said that smokers are at high risk of developing severe disease and death from Covid-19 hence the need for them to quit and save their lives.
He noted that committing to quit at this time not only helps to guarantee good health and the wellbeing of the population, but it will greatly reduce the enormous economic and social burdens Governments currently undergo as a result of the pandemic.
“The Tobacco industry sees a huge market in Africa and will no doubt continue to attempt to attract as many people to its products as possible,” he added.
This year’s World No Tobacco Day is being celebrated under the theme; Commit to Quit.