Togo adopts five-year plan to combat illicit tobacco trade

Health

Monday, 30 March 2026 10:50

Togo adopts five-year plan to combat illicit tobacco trade

(Togo First) - Togo has a new action plan to fight the illegal tobacco trade for 2026-2030. The 82-page document was approved last weekend in Tsévié during a workshop organized by the National Programme on Addiction to Psychoactive Substances (PNAPP), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The plan is designed to strengthen the national response to a phenomenon with health, economic and security implications. Developed after an assessment, it addresses border controls, product traceability, legal framework reform and inter-agency coordination.

The Tsévié workshop brought together experts from health, security, justice, customs and civil society. Participants emphasized the need for a multisectoral approach to improve the effectiveness of existing measures.

"Illicit tobacco trade is a major challenge, as it increases product accessibility, particularly among young people, while causing significant tax revenue losses for the state," said Prof. Balaka Abago, PNAPP coordinator, at the workshop.

According to authorities, the trade fuels criminal networks and poses a public health risk. It also undermines tobacco control policies.

The new document comes as Togo has recorded a decline in smoking prevalence, which fell from 8.5% in 2010 to 5% in 2021. Despite the decline, consumption remains high among men and is rising among young people, particularly in urban areas.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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