"At age 7, some children are already discovering nicotine": health experts issue a red alert

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day 2026, celebrated this Monday in Dakar, Senegalese health authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO), and respiratory disease specialists raised the alarm about the increasing consumption of tobacco and nicotine among young people. One statistic in particular stood out: one in five Senegalese children has already tried tobacco, and the average age of initiation is now 7 years old.

Gathered in Dakar around the theme "Unmasking the appeal, fighting against nicotine and tobacco addiction", the speakers denounced the seduction strategies of the tobacco industry, which relies on flavors, attractive packaging, social networks and new nicotine products to recruit new consumers.

The Director General of Health, Dr. Youssou Tine, nevertheless highlighted the progress made by Senegal, with a 25% decrease in smoking among adults, the prevalence of which has fallen from 6% to 4.4%. However, this progress is now threatened by the rise of electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine sachets, which particularly target adolescents.

Faced with this situation, the government intends to strengthen its arsenal of measures to combat tobacco use through six priority measures: the ban on new tobacco products, the strengthening of the application of the anti-tobacco law, the intensification of awareness campaigns for young people, the development of smoking cessation services, the implementation of a product traceability system and the creation of a parafiscal tax intended to sustainably finance the fight against tobacco.

Speaking on behalf of the WHO, Dr. Louise Diouf noted that nearly nine out of ten tobacco users start before the age of 18. She emphasized that no form of nicotine consumption is risk-free and called for stricter regulation of new products as well as the swift adoption of the tobacco bill.

For her part, Professor Yacine Diagne, president of the Senegalese Society of Pulmonology, emphasized the importance of medical care for smokers. According to her, smoking is an addictive disease, not simply a habit. She advocated for the availability and subsidization of nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches and gum, which significantly increase the chances of quitting smoking.

Beyond the rhetoric, the various stakeholders converged on a shared conviction: the fight against tobacco can no longer be limited to prevention. It must now combine regulation, awareness campaigns, and access to treatment to prevent a new generation of children and adolescents from becoming addicted to nicotine. For experts, protecting Senegalese youth is now a public health emergency.