A research conducted by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has revealed that one in every five cigarettes is illicit in Ghana, reports Ghana Business News.

Research fellow Dr Arti Singh said the study revealed that almost half of the illicit tobacco products originated from Togo. She said the study showed that out of 384 retailers, almost half did not know about illicit tobacco and a third was not aware about tobacco control laws on illicit products.
She noted that some of the factors fuelling illicit tobacco trade in Ghana were due to lack of data, presence of porous borders and low awareness among stakeholders, the report said. Stakeholders recommend the need for a country-specific track-and-trace system, strengthening of borders and further research studies in this area.