Cameroon records about 66,000 deaths each year because of smoking, according to the results of a survey conducted between 2013 and 2014 under the aegis of the Ministry of public health.

The survey carried out with the support of the multiform of the national Institute of statistics (Ins) the Permanent Secretariat of the National committee of the fight against drugs, the World Health Organization (WHO), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Cdc), the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and RTI International, has helped the country to have more recent data on the consumption of tobacco.

It has demonstrated that in Cameroon, 1,100,000 adults, or 8.9% of the population, use tobacco products and they recorded about 66,000 deaths each year due to smoking.

Already, it should be noted that tobacco which is one of the main risk factors for many chronic diseases is responsible for 70% of deaths caused by cancer of the lung, and 32% of deaths caused by other forms of cancer.

On the other hand, 38% of deaths related to the tuberculosis, 31% of those associated with respiratory diseases, and 20% of deaths by stroke are ascribed to it.

In addition, the report established that the cost of cigarettes is very affordable for the smoker and very profitable for the tobacco industry, package of 20 manufactured cigarettes costs 436 F cfa (0.70 U.S. dollar), and the cigarette about 20 F cfa.

1,100,000 Cameroonian smokers who consume an average of 120 packets of cigarettes per year, pay annually more than 57 billion CFA (more than 115 million dollars) to the tobacco industries.

The report suggested the increase in prices for tobacco and its products by the tax increase. According to the report, 65% of current smokers have considered quitting hence propose the implementation of policies to prevent people to start smoking or to help quit smoking.

When it comes to advertisements of tobacco in public places by three out of 10 adults, should strengthen the law on advertising by the complete prohibition of any promotion.