THE Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) have launched a public health communication video to pressure the leadership and members of the National Assembly to approve the draft National Tobacco Control Regulations.

The 35-second video opens with a startling revelation that 16,100 Nigerians die annually due to tobacco use and emphasizes that the effective enforcement of the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act as key to reversing the deaths. It ends with the demand for strong tobacco control regulations.

It also stressed that to implement of the NTC Act, members of the current National Assembly must approve the Draft Tobacco Control Regulations and make it an indelible public health legacy to Nigerians.

The video appeals to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to ensure the approval of the regulations before leaving office in June.

One of the key demands by ERA/FoEN and NTCA to the lawmakers is: “Save Lives, Don’t Wait…Regulate”.

“This public health communication is intended to educate Nigerians and reach our lawmakers who are key in ensuring that strong regulations are approved before the end of their tenure in June 2019,” ERA/FoEN Deputy Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi said.

“The House of Representatives has approved the regulations, the onus is on the Senate to follow suit,” Oluwafemi added.

He also said the video would be broadcast on major television channels in the country.