Survey Finds Senegal’s Tobacco Control Laws are Working, But Further Action Needed to Keep Up Progress

Washington, D.C. – A newly released survey on tobacco use in Senegal shows that the country’s comprehensive tobacco control policies are working to drive down rates of tobacco use and save lives – but that further action is needed to accelerate progress and safeguard young people from tobacco and nicotine products like electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) is a critical tool for monitoring tobacco use patterns, evaluating the impact of policies and identifying areas for enhanced intervention. GATS was first conducted by the Senegalese government in 2015 and repeated in 2023, providing crucial evidence that Senegal’s strong stance on reducing tobacco use is working. The most recent GATS results, released this week, find that tobacco use among adults decreased more than 25 percent since 2015. In Senegal, 4.4 percent of adults use tobacco, one of the lowest prevalence rates in Africa.

Though smoking rates in Senegal are low, tobacco companies like Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco are aggressively targeting countries like Senegal with e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and heated cigarettes. In Senegal and around the world, these products are marketed in ways designed to appeal to young people – on social media, at festivals and concerts and through youth-oriented flavors and packaging. It is critical that Senegal regulate these products to ensure that the tobacco industry does not succeed in addicting a new generation and undoing the significant progress Senegal has made in driving down rates of tobacco use.

The survey also found that approximately one in five adults working indoors and visiting restaurants are still exposed to secondhand smoke, a deadly mixture of more than 6,000 chemicals, many of which can cause cancer even in those who do not smoke. Alarmingly, nearly 75 percent of adults reported exposure to secondhand smoke in nightclubs and bars, according to the survey. To truly protect all Senegalese from the deadly harms of tobacco use and secondhand smoke, Senegal must urgently pass proposed amendments to strengthen the country’s existing tobacco control law and expand smoke-free public places.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids commends Senegal for its continued progress in driving down smoking rates and stands ready to support expanded smoke-free spaces when the current amendments are passed. Urgent action is needed to continue saving lives, driving down rates of tobacco use and promoting a healthier future for Senegal.