Accra: The African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) has called on governments and other stakeholders to implement digital regulations that prohibit tobacco promotion in virtual environments frequented by young people. The organization emphasized the urgent need for civil society organizations, technology companies, digital innovators, and youth networks to unite in the defense of public health across both physical and virtual spaces.
According to Ghana News Agency, the ATCA made this appeal in a statement issued in Accra. The statement highlighted the tobacco industry's strategic targeting of the metaverse as a means to promote and normalize nicotine use among children and adolescents, exploiting regulatory loopholes to circumvent existing advertising laws. The ATCA categorically labeled this move as manipulation rather than innovation and urged for immediate regulatory intervention.
The statement elaborated that the tobacco industry's foray into the metaverse represents a calculated attempt to reshape social norms and recruit a new generation of users through digital seduction. It emphasized that Africa's youth, while increasingly connected through technology, are at greater risk and stressed the need for decisive action.
The ATCA urged tobacco control actors to proactively lead the regulatory process, emphasizing that the metaverse should not be allowed to become a weak point in global health protection. They called on stakeholders to collaborate with platform developers to enforce strict anti-tobacco content guidelines, implement age verification tools, and establish moderation mechanisms. Further, they advocated for strengthening global surveillance of industry behavior across digital ecosystems, along with coordinated reporting and accountability.
Investment in youth education and awareness was highlighted as crucial, along with empowering families to safely navigate virtual worlds and resist harmful influences. The ATCA also reaffirmed its commitment to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, urging its application to emerging technologies and cross-border marketing.
The statement noted the rising engagement of African youth in virtual spaces such as gaming, social media, and immersive platforms, and the tobacco industry's adaptation of strategies to attract them. It cited a recent report from the Guardian, which revealed how smoking avatars and branded content are infiltrating the metaverse, glamorizing tobacco use where regulation is inadequate and youth engagement is significant.
The ATCA warned that this trend is particularly dangerous in Africa, where a significant portion of the population is young, internet access has doubled since 2015, and digital literacy is increasing. However, awareness of online manipulation remains low. The organization reiterated its commitment to exposing, controlling, and dismantling these emerging threats to safeguard the future of African children and the integrity of the continent's digital promise.
The ATCA is a non-profit, non-political Pan-African network of civil society organizations dedicated to promoting public health and curbing the tobacco epidemic across the continent.
