Tobacco use: A Cameroonian smoker spends monthly 5.000fcfa on cigarettes.

A Cameroonian smoker is on a tobacco row. Spending averagely 5000fcfa per month on tobacco products. Which corresponds to 7,25% of the Guaranteed Minimum Wage(SMIG), as revealed by the global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), survey realized in 2013 by the National Institute for Statistics(NIS), with the support of the Ministry of Public Health and WHO.

According to the conclusion of this research, the smoking phenomenon is more visible amongs persons within 25-44 years old. Their expenses related to cigarette purchase is more than 5000FCFA per smoker, meanwhile those between the age group 15-24 years spend 4123FCFA to buy cigarettes.

Moreover, tobacco use of recent times is a poverty increasing factor within families." if in a family one person smokes, money that is destined for proteins, that is to say for fish and meat, is being oriented towards cigarette purchase, and consequently, the children do not go to school, blames attributed to lack of finance", explained by Dr. Flore NDEMBIYEMBE, president of the Cameroon Coalition to Counter Tobacco (C3T).

Health consequences

Smoking has a direct impact on the development of diseases such as cancer, chronic respiratory infections,strokes.... and more, accordingto  WHO," tobacco kills one smoker out of two".

This scenario contributes towards aggravating poverty, the civil society calls for the adoption of a tobacco control law, with objectives of protecting future and present generations from tobacco harmful effects.