By Alima Kargbo
Stakeholders from the health sector, civil society organizations, youth groups, and development partners have renewed calls for the effective implementation of Sierra Leone’s Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act 2022 during the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day 2026.
The Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum, held at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel in Freetown, brought together representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA), Youth in Action, Health for All Coalition, and the Global Youth Network for Empowerment and Development, among other partners.
The forum served as a platform to assess progress made since the enactment of the Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act 2022 and to discuss strategies for strengthening enforcement mechanisms aimed at protecting public health, particularly among young people and non-smokers.
Speakers highlighted the growing threat posed by tobacco and nicotine products, emphasizing that effective implementation of the law is critical to reducing tobacco-related illnesses, preventing youth addiction, and combating the rise of non-communicable diseases across the country.
Participants also stressed the importance of establishing and operationalizing the Tobacco and Nicotine Control Council, increasing public awareness, and ensuring adequate government funding to support enforcement activities.
The stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to working collaboratively with the Government of Sierra Leone to safeguard public health and create a tobacco-free future for generations to come.
