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Mr Labram Musah, Programmes Director of Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a non-governmental organisation, has called on Parliament to ratify the protocol on illicit trade in tobacco.

  He said this would eliminate all forms of illegal trading in tobacco and reduce its consumption.

  Mr Musah made the call on Tuesday during a Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service (GHS) media sensitisation programme on the World Tobacco Day which fell on May 31.

   He said currently the cost of some cigarette pack is as low as GH₵ 1.20 whilst it is being sold at $ 6.50 in other countries.

   Mr Musah said the low price in Ghana has led to a high consumption rate and is worsening the health situation of some consumers.

   He said it is unfortunate that some marketers in the tobacco industry are now targeting young people so as to make maximum profit.

   Mr Musah urged stakeholders in the health sector to work harder for Parliament to adopt the Tobacco Control Regulations and appealed to the Ministry of Finance to monitor the implementation of the excise tax on tobacco.

   Dr S. Kyei-Faried, Deputy Director and Head, Disease Control and Prevention Department of the GHS, said Ghanaian children are in danger.

   He said 3.6 per cent of teenagers within the junior high school system currently smoke cigarette.