Tobacco & Cigarettes

Tobacco and nicotine products are the leading preventable cause of death globally, responsible for 8 million deaths annually according to the WHO. In Nigeria, an estimated 4 million adults are current tobacco smokers, with a growing proportion of young people aged 16–24 initiating use. While tobacco kills primarily through its long-term carcinogenic effects, nicotine addiction — which is equally powerful to heroin in terms of dependence-forming capacity — develops within days of regular use. This makes tobacco uniquely dangerous: the harm is delayed, but the addiction is immediate, creating years or decades of exposure before the consequences become visible.

The expansion of shisha (hookah) culture in Nigerian cities has created a new and widely underestimated entry point for nicotine addiction among university students. Shisha is commonly perceived as safer than cigarettes — this is entirely false. A single shisha session delivers the equivalent nicotine of 10–25 cigarettes, along with significantly elevated levels of carbon monoxide and toxic metals. Shisha lounges have become normalised social environments in university towns across Southeast Nigeria, effectively normalising tobacco initiation under the guise of a social activity.

Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices have also proliferated among Nigerian youth, again with a widespread false belief that they are "safe" alternatives. While potentially less harmful than combustible cigarettes for established adult smokers, vaping devices are not safe for non-smokers or young people. They deliver nicotine effectively and create dependence. Several vape liquids contain diacetyl and other chemicals linked to severe lung disease. For a non-smoker, the safest choice is to never vape.

Tobacco serves as a gateway drug in two mechanisms: the social environments in which smoking occurs (peer groups, nightlife) increase exposure to other substances, and nicotine sensitises the brain's reward pathway to dopaminergic substances broadly, making subsequent drug use more likely. Studies show tobacco-using young people are 3× more likely to progress to cannabis and 5× more likely to try harder substances than non-tobacco users.