Cameroon: The economy plumed by tobacco clandestine businesses

Counterfeit, illicit habits, false brands and low cost:cigarette traffic explodes, boosted by the cruel appetite of the tobacco industry. A parallel market which contributes to the fortune of mafia groups.

Yaounde urban council, the sky is obscure and the air is fresh, Robert in his twenties stops by a shopon the public path. In this shop, he does his credit transfer and buys a packet of cigarette. The park given to him carries no fiscal stamp, but for Robert, only his toxic dosage matters. Like Robert, many other tobacco users buy counterfeited products regularly.

Indeed, for the past two weeks, retail stands have been overwhelmed by counterfeited cigarettes and low cost brands, not respecting the regulating laws in Cameroon. This rise in counterfeit and illicit behavior activities around tobacco products is not without consequences on the economy.

According to a research conducted by the ‘Groupement Inter-Patronal du Cameroun’ (GICAM), almost 29% of cigarette sales emanates from counterfeit sources. The same study reveals that tax loses and customs loses related to illicit trade of tobacco amounts to almost 4 Billion Fcfa for the year 2006.

The tobacco industry: illegal advertisement to recruit new smokers.

Between flashy packs, cigarette girls, advertisement posters and communication gadgets, the tobacco industry is running an offensive to recruit new consumers.

Decisively, the tobacco industry is not missing out an opportunity to render Cameroon smoky and deathly. Indeed, new advertisement campaigns are launched and new cigarette brands are making their way into the market. The latest brand is "ESSE" available on expositions two weeks ago. Produced by Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation (KT&G), this brand is subject of a large promotion campaign in Yaounde city. The campaign to make known the brand is more visible within the university neighborhoods. This is the case of SOA town where we observed the random advertisement, posters with gadgets (umbrellas…).

Cameroon: Captured by tobacco advertisements

The imaginations put in place by tobacco industries to attract new addicts in Cameroon, seems to be unbearable. From free tasting, and offer as gifts of tobacco products, accompanied by the use of media to initiate consumption.

The violation of the 2006 law on advertisements in Cameroon

Presently, the tobacco industry has launched a campaign to increase its profits, while making Cameroonians to be more addicted to tobacco. Furthermore, every week we notice a new cigarette brand in the market. This action is led by the aggressive marketing strategies from all angles of the Cameroonian territory. Although the Country has a legislation that prohibits the advertisement of all tobacco products.

For example, Yaounde the political capital of Cameroon has “cigarettes girls” whom are paid to parade night clubs, snack bars and public places, while stimulating youths to taste new exciting brands. The innovation recently, is that of free tasting of cigs. Across road sides we can find posters on sales points with T-shirts, caps close to schools, shops……

The case of Douala the economic capital of Cameroon is not save from the ravage of tobacco products advertisement. Here, nothing is left out concerning advertisements. From t-shirts, umbrellas, posters, sale points, vehicles, all is put in place to reach the maximum of persons possible, and particularly youths who are majority of holiday makers.

Cameroon : An eldorado for the tobacco industry

The strategies used by cigarette suppliers to conquer new consumers in Cameroon seems fruitful, from free distribution of their products and even the use of media to stimulate consumption.

The tobacco industry at the moment is initiating an offensive in order to increase its profits and render the Cameroonian population more dependent on tobacco. In effect, we notice almost every week the appearance of a new cigarette brand. This action of the industry is supported by an aggressive marketing at the four angles of the country.

In Yaounde for example, “cigarettes girls” are paid to parade night clubs, snacks and public places. This is to excite youths to smoke cigarettes with really strange names. Recently, the innovation has been free testing. Actually, to implement newly imported brands, the strategies consist of: Proximity trade deposits, shops, stalls and other cartridges cigarettes of brand X. These cigarettes are offered for free to any person who wants to get cigs or smoke. Smoking is free here. The only restriction to this tasting is the deposit of packs at the sales point, who will latter transfer it to the tobacco company for payment".

Observing keenly this new strategy reveals that each cartridge has 3 series of free testing’s before starting the sales of a new product. According to

Burglary at c3T's office: Random or intimidation of tobacco industry?

Located at Titi- Garage in Yaounde, the civil society organization in the fight against tobacco named Cameroonian Coalition to Counter Tobacco (C3T) was victim of burglary. The facts were committed Between 20 and 22 February 2014. Taking advantage of the weekend, the thieves were introduced in the site by breaking the doors. They stole office equipments, computers, Officials papers and household appliances. The amount of damages raises at several millions.

This theft came on the eve of a training workshop for mayors on Tobacco Control. But the determination and the will of the C3T, allowed him to keep the challenge of meeting of exchange and of information with local officials.

Cameroon: WHO Warns Against Water-Pipe Smoking

© George MBELLA / cameroon-tribune.cm

In several neighbourhoods of the capital city, Yaounde, youth these days are often seen in a growing number of pubs, smoking from tubes connected to an unusual type of designed "jar" containing flavoured tobacco and water.

The new kind of water-pipe smoking, also called Shisha or Hookah, is said to be risk-free according to promoters who have introduced the practice into the country. This cannot be true, for the World Health Organisation (WHO) has for several years now been warning that water-pipe smoking is dangerous to health.

"Contrary to ancient lore and popular belief, the smoke that emerges from a water pipe contains numerous toxicants known to cause lung cancer, heart disease and other diseases," WHO said. In its "advisory note," the UN health agency warned that using water-pipes to consume tobacco, which is commonly mixed with molasses and fruit flavours, usually exposes a person to more smoke over a longer period of time than do cigarettes.