On the occasion of the 29th edition of the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD 2016), the Cameroon Coalition to Counter Tobacco (C3T) organized this May 31, 2016 a press briefing.

The panel consisted of Mr. Patrick NSANGOU-Project Officer of C3T, Mr. Prince MPONDO-Chairman of Press Committee on Tobacco Control and Mr. Paul Marcel MAYAGUI-Communication Officer of C3T.

In his speech for this year’s WNTD, Mr. Patrick NSANGOU discussed about plain packaging as an important measure to reduce demand, because it reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products, hinders the use of packaging as a form of advertising and promotion, limits misleading packaging and labeling and increases the effectiveness of health warnings. He also called the attention of the press and guests on the tobacco control situation in Cameroon through the results of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-Cameroon-2013 and the importance of the adoption of plain packaging.

According to survey conducted in 2013 by the Ministry of Health, 75.4% of current smokers have noticed health warnings on cigarette packets. 35.5% of smokers considered quitting because of these health warnings on cigarette packets. This high percentage enabling to progress towards more illustrative and very dissuasive health warnings. For this, Mr. Prince MPONDO highlighted the need for our country to migrate to graphic or pictorial illustrations such as Chad.

28 journalists from both private and public media, from the written press, television, radio and digital media took part in this activity. The press conference was marked by fruitful dialogues between the press and  C3T’s members. On the menu of this dialogue, the report of C3T’s activities, the Tobacco Industry interference and the status of the national tobacco control bill.

In concluding this press briefing, Mr. Patrick NSANGOU precised the extent of smoking in Cameroon with about 1.1 million active smokers and more than 6.72 million passive smokers. According to him, this situation is due to the lack of an appropriate Tobacco Control legislation. It is therefore necessary for Cameroon to adopt tobacco control law. He invited media people to support advocacy for the adoption of a national strong tobacco control law in Cameroon.