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VALD advocates for AI-driven enforcement against nicotine addiction in Ghana
via GhanaWeb2 min read
Vision for Alternative Development VALD, a non-profit organization, has called for enhanced enforcement of tobacco control laws and the integration of Artificial Intelligence AI and digital tools to combat rising nicotine addiction in Ghana. This statement was made to mark World No Tobacco Day 2026, where VALD joined the global public health community in highlighting the growing threat of nicotine addiction. The campaign, themed “Unmasking the appeal—countering nicotine and tobacco addiction,” focuses on how tobacco and nicotine products are designed and marketed to attract and sustain use, especially among young people. VALD warned that these products are being redesigned with flavors, attractive packaging, and targeted digital marketing strategies, with new products like vapes and nicotine pouches rapidly entering the market, creating new forms of addiction often presented as less harmful. The organization noted that marketing has shifted to packaging, retail environments, and digital spaces that are harder to monitor and regulate. VALD expressed concern over trends undermining tobacco control efforts, including the promotion of flavored nicotine products as harmless and youth-friendly, the growth of unregulated online and social media marketing, and the use of harm reduction narratives that may normalize nicotine use. VALD maintains that there is no safe level of tobacco use and that nicotine remains highly addictive. The organization called on the Government of Ghana, the
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