Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has confiscated large volumes of illicit tobacco products, including shisha, vapes, and cigars, in a recent enforcement sweep across Accra, as the regulator ramps up public health efforts ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

The crackdown, carried out in collaboration with law enforcement, targeted six retail outlets in neighborhoods including Kwabenya, East Legon, Abeka, Fadama, Tabora, and Achimota. Two of the facilities were shuttered at the time of inspection.

Regulators seized 15 brands of illegal shisha flavors, 21 brands of unregistered vaping products, 10 brands of unauthorized cigars, three types of illicit cigarettes, seven varieties of nitrous oxide canisters, and four brands of unapproved tobacco wraps.

“These items entered Ghana through unapproved routes,” said Jemima Odonkor, head of the FDA’s Tobacco Products Department. “The Authority will not hesitate to enforce legal and regulatory sanctions against the distributors and vendors involved.”

The operation underscores the FDA’s continued efforts to eliminate unauthorized and potentially harmful tobacco products from circulation. The agency also plans to intensify educational outreach, particularly targeting young people in schools, as it seeks to curb early exposure to tobacco use.

“We’ll be engaging students directly to inform them of the risks posed by these products,” Odonkor said.

The FDA has called on the public to report suspicious tobacco sales or products, reaffirming its commitment to protecting consumer health and reducing the footprint of illicit trade in the country’s tobacco market.

Source:TheDotNews