By Eugene Nyarko Jnr.
ACCRA, September 1, 2026 — Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development Ghana (VAST Ghana) has called for intensified nationwide surveillance, laboratory testing and stricter border controls following the discovery of an unregistered cigarette-shaped candy being sold in parts of Accra.
The organisation said while it welcomed the swift action by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Ghana Police Service and National Security to seize quantities of the product, known as the “Cigarette Rod Lollipop”, enforcement efforts must be extended beyond Accra.
The FDA recently seized quantities of the unregistered product from sellers in Accra’s Central Business District and Makola Market and arrested one suspect.
According to VAST Ghana, the product, which is packaged to resemble a cigarette, has generated public concern because its composition is unknown and its appearance could normalize smoking among children.
In a press statement issued on September 1, VAST Ghana said the FDA must conduct laboratory tests on seized samples to establish their chemical composition and make the findings available to the public.
“Parents and the public deserve clear, evidence-based information about what children are being offered,” the organisation said.
VAST Ghana said the issue should not be treated as an isolated incident, recalling that in 2010 the then Food and Drugs Board warned against the sale of deceptive “smoke candies” designed to resemble cigarette brands and cigarette sticks.
The organisation said the reappearance of similar products in 2026 demonstrated the need for sustained nationwide enforcement rather than one-off seizures.
VAST Ghana argued that cigarette-shaped confectionery accessible to children could undermine Ghana’s tobacco-control efforts and potentially contravene provisions of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).
The organisation cited provisions of the law that prohibit the sale, display, supply or advertising of non-tobacco products containing materials commonly associated with tobacco products or brands.
It also referred to provisions prohibiting the packaging, labelling or sale of products that resemble or are likely to be associated with tobacco products.
According to VAST Ghana, these provisions are consistent with Article 16 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which calls on countries to prohibit the manufacture and sale of sweets, snacks, toys and other objects designed in the form of tobacco products that appeal to minors.
The organisation described the “Cigarette Rod Lollipop” as an example of commercial practices that could make smoking appear playful, glamorous and harmless to children and young people.
VAST Ghana also expressed concern about the influence of public figures and celebrities who publicly display or discuss cigarette smoking in ways that could make tobacco use appear socially acceptable or aspirational among young people.
The organisation called on public figures to exercise greater responsibility and refrain from glamorizing tobacco use and other health-harming products.
It further stressed the dangers associated with nicotine addiction and tobacco use, particularly among children and adolescents, saying products that familiarize young people with the shape and ritual of smoking could contribute to future tobacco use.
VAST Ghana said the matter should also be treated as a child-protection issue, with the best interests of children guiding decisions concerning the marketing, sale and removal of products that could normalize tobacco use.
The organisation therefore called on the FDA and other relevant government institutions to extend market surveillance and enforcement operations to markets, shops and school environments across the country.
It also urged authorities to strengthen border monitoring to prevent the importation of unregistered and tobacco-mimicking confectionery products.
Other recommendations include conducting comprehensive laboratory testing on seized products, publishing the findings, issuing a public determination on the product’s compliance with Act 851 and the Tobacco Control Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2247), and intensifying public education for parents, teachers, vendors and communities.
VAST Ghana also called for stronger policy measures to protect young people from tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes, vapes and shisha.
The Executive Director of VAST Ghana, Labram Musah, said Ghana’s progress in tobacco control should not be undermined by products designed to make cigarettes attractive to children.
“Ghana’s hard-won gains in tobacco control must not be undermined by products that turn cigarettes into sweets. The FDA’s recent action is welcome; now it must be sustained, expanded and backed by testing, border control and strong public education. The protection of children must take precedence over commercial interests,” he said.
VAST Ghana said it remained ready to support the FDA, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and other stakeholders through public education, evidence and constructive engagement to protect children from commercial practices that could normalize tobacco use and other substances of abuse.
