To commemorate World Cancer Day, the Nigeria Cancer Society has called for the removal of tobacco scenes from Nollywood movies.

This was even as it petitioned Netflix, FilmOne, Ebonylife and others towards this cause.

In a statement jointly signed by President, Nigerian Cancer Society Dr Adamu Umar and Ms Esther Aghotor, Creative Director, #SmokeFreeNollywood, it said tobacco use is responsible for the deaths of over 70,000 Nigerians, where movies influenced more than one-third of them to start the habit.

“Many Nollywood films today contain smoking scenes that glamourise the use of tobacco products such as cigarettes, and Shisha and unconsciously recruit viewers into damaging habits that harm their health,” it stated.

The statement quoted Umar as saying that the campaign became imperative as Tobacco use was found to be the leading cause of cancer.

He stressed that cancer is responsible for the deaths of 70,000 Nigerians every year as about a third of smokers picked such a habit through movie influence.

“Tobacco kills up to half of its users and leaves others with a lifetime of health complications. Tobacco is responsible for lung, mouth, throat, bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas, esophagus, larynx, colon, rectum, and cervix cancers. There is no safe or relaxed level of tobacco use,” he explained.

To this end, he called on Nollywood filmmakers, particularly streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, and distributors such as FilmOne, Genesis, and Ebony Life, to remove tobacco use from movies.

He said the call is in line with the Nigerian Tobacco Control Act that prohibits tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.

“Films depicting historical tobacco users as characters must contain strong anti-smoking narratives and health warnings. Many filmmakers globally are already toeing this path in the interest of public health,” he added.