The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a stark warning to the public—especially young people—highlighting that no form of tobacco, including trendy alternatives like shisha and vapes, is safe for human consumption.
Dr. Mrs. Olivia Agyekuma Boateng, Director of the Tobacco and Substances of Abuse Division at the FDA, dismissed the common misconception that alternative tobacco products are less harmful. Speaking at a health outreach to mark World No Tobacco Day, she emphasized that all tobacco forms—whether smoked, chewed, or inhaled—carry dangerous chemicals, including the highly addictive nicotine.
“There is no safe form of tobacco. Whether you sniff it, chew it, or vape it, you are exposing your body to harmful substances,” she stated.
She particularly debunked the myth surrounding shisha, which is often marketed as harmless because smoke passes through water. “That filtration claim is misleading,” Dr. Boateng explained. “Users still inhale dangerous chemicals, leading to cancer, cardiovascular disease, infertility, and impotence.”
Dr. Boateng revealed a worrying trend: with increased awareness about the dangers of cigarettes, young people are now turning to vaporizers and shisha, mistakenly believing them to be safer. “This is a deliberate tactic by the tobacco industry to rebrand its products and hook a younger generation,” she warned.
She further cautioned that nicotine acts as a gateway drug, increasing the likelihood of users graduating to harder substances. “Parents must be vigilant and involved in their children’s digital lives to detect early signs of tobacco use,” she advised.
FDA Volta Regional Director, Gordon Akurugu, added that his team’s intensified public education and border surveillance efforts have contributed to a reduction in tobacco use. He highlighted their 24/7 monitoring at the Ghana-Togo border to prevent smuggling, a critical route for illicit tobacco entry.
“We now operate round the clock. Smugglers can no longer rely on timing their activities after hours,” Akurugu said.
Both officials called for a coordinated, multi-sectoral response to further curb tobacco use in Ghana and protect public health.
