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How smoking damages arteries, blood vessels

By Iyanuoluwa Animasaun

In the sterile quiet of a hospital cardiology ward, the devastating impact of smoking on cardiovascular health is evident in every patient chart, every irregular heartbeat displayed on monitors, and the weary faces of individuals battling advanced heart disease. Tobacco use remains one of the leading preventable causes of illness and premature death worldwide. Despite decades of persistent public health campaigns, clear warning labels, and extensive scientific research detailing its harmful effects, smoking continues to be a global health crisis.

Cigarette smoke is a silent assault on the cardiovascular system—an intricate network responsible for delivering oxygen and vital nutrients throughout the body. At the molecular level, cigarette smoke introduces a toxic mix of harmful substances, with nicotine, carbon monoxide (CO), and tar at the forefront. Nicotine, a highly addictive alkaloid, stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, leading to an increase in heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and vasoconstriction. This places undue strain on the cardiovascular system, forcing the heart to work harder while simultaneously reducing the oxygen available to the myocardium.

The effects of nicotine on lipid metabolism are equally concerning. It raises levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) while lowering HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol), which promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Beyond this, nicotine induces insulin resistance, exacerbates oxidative stress, and damages endothelial cells—factors that together make the heart and blood vessels more vulnerable to damage. Carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless gas in cigarette smoke, further disrupts cardiovascular efficiency. By binding to heamoglobin more than 200 times more readily than oxygen, CO reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, leading to a state of chronic hypoxia. The heart is then forced to work harder to supply oxygen to tissues, increasing the demand on the myocardium and raising the risk of ischemic events such as heart attacks. Chronic exposure to carbon monoxide also generates harmful free radicals that damage the endothelial lining of blood vessels, accelerating the aging of arteries and raising the risk of hypertension and ischemic heart disease.

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Tar, the sticky residue found in cigarette smoke, is equally damaging. It clings to the delicate endothelial lining of blood vessels, inducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular dysfunction. Over time, these processes promote the development of atherosclerosis—hardening and narrowing of the arteries—and impair the body’s ability to repair damaged blood vessels, further compromising cardiovascular health. Together, these toxic substances form a deadly trifecta that wreaks havoc on the heart and blood vessels, accelerating the onset of cardiovascular diseases, weakening the heart’s ability to function, and ultimately leading to premature mortality.

The microvasculature, essential for tissue and organ perfusion, also becomes less responsive to prolonged tar exposure, making individuals more susceptible to acute cardiovascular events. Data suggests that chronic tar exposure significantly increases the risk of arterial thrombosis, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and chronic ischemia. The clinical consequences of smoking-induced cardiovascular damage are serious and long-lasting. Coronary artery disease (CAD) stands out as one of the most prevalent outcomes, driven by atherosclerosis, arterial narrowing, and reduced myocardial perfusion. Similarly, smoking is a well-established risk factor for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, where vascular damage and prothrombotic conditions significantly increase the risk of stroke. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is another common consequence, manifested by impaired blood circulation in the limbs, critical limb injuries, and non-healing wounds. In addition, smoking weakens the aortic wall, increasing vulnerability to aneurysms and potentially fatal ruptures.

The financial and societal costs of smoking-related cardiovascular disease cannot be overstated. Global health systems incur significant costs related to hospitalisation, surgical procedures, medications, and long-term management of chronic cardiovascular disease. In addition to direct health costs, productivity losses due to disability, prolonged illness, and premature mortality place additional burdens on economic systems. Tobacco control is not only a health priority but also an economic imperative. The dangers of smoking do not only affect the smoker, but secondhand smoke also (SHS) poses a significant health risk to nonsmokers, including children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Exposure to SHS causes acute endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation, and increased arterial stiffness, all risk factors for cardiovascular events. Alarmingly, even brief exposure to SHS increases the risk of acute coronary syndromes. Prenatal exposure to SHS poses additional risks, including congenital heart defects and long-term cardiovascular dysfunction in children. Despite the picture created by the cardiovascular consequences of smoking, quitting offers hope. The cardiovascular system has an incredible ability to recover once you stop smoking. Within minutes of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure begin to stabilise. Within hours, carbon monoxide levels drop, improving oxygen delivery. Over the weeks and months, vascular function improves and inflammation decreases. After a decade or more of prolonged abstinence, an individual’s cardiovascular risk begins to approach that of someone who has never smoked.

To successfully quit smoking, you often need to adopt a multifaceted strategy. Pharmacological interventions, including nicotine replacement therapies, and varenicline, play a crucial role in relieving withdrawal symptoms and reducing cravings. Behavioral interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and individual counseling, address the psychological aspects of nicotine addiction. Social and peer support, whether through support groups or family encouragement, helps to empower and motivate sustained abstinence. On a broader scale, addressing tobacco use as a public health priority requires collaboration at the individual, clinical, societal, and government levels. Policy measures, including increased taxes on tobacco products, smoking bans in public places, and restrictions on tobacco marketing, have been effective in reducing smoking rates. Public health campaigns must also adapt to new challenges, such as the growing popularity of vaping and the dual use of tobacco, which pose new health risks. International organisations, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), continue to lead tobacco control initiatives, focusing on education, prevention, and accessible smoking cessation programmes. These coordinated efforts, combined with innovative research and evidence-based interventions, are leading the way in reducing tobacco-related cardiovascular disease worldwide.

In conclusion, smoking remains a formidable factor in cardiovascular disease, perpetuating inflammation, oxidative damage, and vascular dysfunction. However, smoking cessation has both immediate and long-term benefits, reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease, health care costs, and societal losses. Tackling this global health crisis requires sustained commitment, innovative strategies, and cross-sector collaboration. The potential benefits of a healthier population, stronger health systems, and longer lives underscore the urgency and importance of this effort.

• Animasaun is with the University of Southern Mississippi

January 9, 2025
Woman seeks divorce over smoking

A 43-year-old housewife, Adeyinka Olaitan, has sought the dissolution of her marriage to Michael Olaitan at Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The petitioner alleged that the respondent was addicted to cigarettes and alcohol.

She told the court yesterday that her husband of 24 years was a habitual cigarette smoker and a drunk.

Adeyinka alleged that Michael was not a responsible father, as she was left alone to cater for their four children.

She alleged: “My lord, our eldest child gained admission to a tertiary institution, but my husband refused to pay the fees.

“The intervention of my pastor, who implored him to be alive to his responsibility, proved abortive, as he refused to take care of me and our children.”

The respondent denied the allegations.

He objected to the petitioner’s application for divorce, saying he and his wife should be allowed to settle the matter out of court.

Despite his plea, the President, Chief Mukaila Balogun, dissolved the marriage on the grounds that there was no more love between the couple.

He gave custody of three of the four children to the woman and ordered that the respondent should pay N4,000 monthly stipends for the upkeep of the children.

March 21, 2018
Tomatoes, fruits diet restores lungs damaged by smoking, says report

Smokers who quit smoking and live on a diet high in tomatoes and fruits, particularly apples, have better chances of restoring their lung functions impaired by smoking, a new study finds.

The study, published in the December issue of the European Respiratory Journal, said former smokers who eat more tomatoes and fresh fruits regularly saw a slower natural decline in lung function over 10 years.

The study was conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

According to it, adults who on average ate more than two tomatoes or more than three portions of fresh fruits and vegetables a day had a slower decline in lung function, compared to those who ate less than one tomato or less than one portion of fruits, daily.

Lung function starts to decline at around 30 and poor lung function is linked to higher risks of death from all diseases, including chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, heart disease and lung cancer.

“A diet rich in fruits can slow down the lung’s natural aging process even if you have never smoked,” said Vanessa Garcia-Larsen, the study’s lead author, who is also an assistant professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health.

Garcia-Larsen and her team examined diet and lung function of more than 650 adults from Germany, Norway and Britain in 2002 and performed lung function tests on the same group of participants 10 years later.

The researchers found a more striking diet-lung-function among former smokers, who had around 80 ml slower decline over the 10-year period because their diets were highly rich in tomatoes and fruits.

Such a result suggests that the nutrients in their diets are beneficial to repairing the lung damage done by smoking.

•Source: NAN

January 4, 2018
Smoking hastens menopause, says medical practitioner

An Ilorin-based medical doctor, Dr Tajudeen Olawepo, has said that cigarette smoking hastens the commencement of menopause in women.

of Safe Kids Hospital, Ilorin,

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Friday that studies had shown that smoking hastened menopause by approximately one to two years, regardless of race or genetic background.

He said that in the case of heavy smokers, this could be up to nine years earlier than for average women with certain genetic variations.

He added that menopause occurred when the female reproductive organs, the ovaries, stopped producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Olawepo explained that the symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, depression, forgetfulness, vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse.

Menopause was recognised when a woman had not had a monthly period for 12 months, as long as there was no other reason, he added.

He said menopause happened between the ages of 45 and 55.

He noted that “it is not always easy to confirm that menopause has actually happened , of course, irregular periods and occasional hot flash is a sign that changes are taking place, but timing the actual menopause is not so simple.

“And it’s important to know, not just preventing symptoms in the most appropriate way, but also for contraception.

“However, most doctors advise menopausal women under 50 to continue with their contraception for two years after their last period and for one year if they are over 50.’’

Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when her period stops. It usually occurs naturally,
often after age 45. (NAN)

February 3, 2017
The growing and scary trend of high blood pressure among working professionals in Nigeria
The predisposing factors you need to know and how to manage your BP.

Recent statistics emanating from young professionals in Nigeria is indicative of a very disturbing trend. Until recently high blood pressure or hypertension was associated with age and only prevalent in older people. Reports of high blood pressure in people of less than 50, 40 and 30 years calls for concern. More interesting is the fact that most of the patients reporting with high blood pressure within this age bracket are working professionals.

In a recent study of 1097 professionals across 53 organizations to determine the age gradient of hypertension prevalence and explore the association of workplace psychosocial predictors of hypertension, the results were revealing. The prevalence of hypertension among working professionals was 31% and pre-hypertension was 45.7%. The prevalence of stage-1 hypertension in the age group of 25-35 years was 18% and 23% in 36-45 years group. The prevalence of stage-2 hypertension in the age group of 25-35 years was 8% and 11% in 36-45 years group. The results indicate that dimensions of workplace psychosocial predictors and workplace environment are associated with hypertension.

Hypertension is sustained elevation of resting systolic BP (≥ 140 mm Hg), diastolic BP (≥ 90 mm Hg), or both.

Risk factors for developing high blood pressure, also called hypertension:
- Family history
  Height, hair and eye color runs in families — so can high blood pressure. If your parents or close blood relatives have had HBP, you are more likely to develop it, too. You might also pass that risk factor on to your children. That’s why it’s important for children as well as adults to have regular blood pressure checks. You can’t control heredity, but you can take steps to live a healthy life and lower your other risk factors. Lifestyle choices have allowed many people with a strong family history of HBP to avoid it themselves. Learn
- Gender-related risk patterns
  A higher percentage of men than women have HBP until 45 years of age. From ages 45 to 54 and 55 to 64, the percentages of men and women with HBP are similar. After that, a much higher percentage of women have HBP than men.
- Lack of physical activity
  Physical activity is good for your heart and circulatory system. An inactive lifestyle increases the chance of high blood pressure, heart disease, blood vessel disease and stroke. Inactivity also makes it easier to become overweight or obese. Give yourself the gift of improved health and lower blood pressure with regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
- Poor diet, especially one that includes too much salt
  To care for our bodies, we all need good nutrition from a variety of food sources. A diet that’s high in calories, fats and sugars and low in essential nutrients contributes directly to poor health as well as to obesity. In addition, there are some problems that can happen from eating too much salt. Some people are “salt sensitive,” meaning a high-salt (sodium) diet raises their high blood pressure. Salt keeps excess fluid in the body that can add to the burden on the heart. While too much salt can be dangerous, healthy food choices can actually lower blood pressure.
- Overweight and obesity
  Being overweight increases your chances of developing high blood pressure. A body mass index between 25 and 30 is considered overweight. A body mass index over 30 is considered obese. A large population of adults are overweight or obese. Excess weight increases the strain on the heart, raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It can also make diabetes more likely to develop. Losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds can help lower your blood pressure and your heart disease risk. To successfully and healthfully lose weight—and keep it off—most people need to subtract about 500 calories per day from their diet to lose about 1 kg per week. Learn how to manage your weight.
- Drinking too much alcohol
  Heavy and regular use of alcohol can increase blood pressure dramatically. It can also cause heart failure, lead to stroke and produce irregular heartbeats. Too much alcohol can contribute to high triglycerides, cancer and other diseases, obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. If you drink, limit your alcohol consumption.
Possible contributing factors

There is some connection between blood pressure and these factors but science has not proven that they actually cause high blood pressure.
- Sitting for too long
When you sit, blood flows slower and muscles burn less fat, which makes it easier for fatty acids to clog your heart. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, for instance, showed that women who sit for 10 or more hours a day may have a significantly greater risk of developing heart disease than those who sit for five hours or less. It can also cause Deep Vein Thrombosis.

A large number of working professionals sit for too long and it is not unusual to hear of people tripping and falling on the staircase. Most of those who trip have been sitting for too long. Symptoms

If you already have high blood pressure or hypertension, the good news is that it can be totally reversed. To learn how to manage your BP or reverse your hypertension click here. It is amazing that if you knew most of these things in the first, you wouldn’t have issues with your BP. There are solutions to HBP and there are preventive measures here. HBP is not peculiar to you. There are millions of other people suffering from HBP.

As you may well know, if your blood pressure is not managed, it may lead to several cardiovascular diseases. CVDs are the number 1 cause of death globally: more people die annually from CVDs than any other cause.

An estimated 17.5 million people died from CVD in 2012, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, an estimated 7.4 million were due to coronary heart disease and 6.7 million were due to stroke. WHO.

Get complete access to our HBP solution and live your life devoid of all the complications that come with HBP. Click here

If your HBP has anything to do with diabetes, we have a tested and tried solution.

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October 12, 2016
Lagos warns restaurants, hotels, others on smoking

The Lagos State Government will soon clamp down on restaurants, hotels and other public institutions operating without places for smokers, Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) General Manager Rasheed Adebola Shabi said yesterday.

At a press conference heralding this year’s World No Smoking Day, Shabi who noted that 97 per cent of patrons of night clubs and hotels are young smokers, said the state would no longer fold its hands and watch its active population exposed to cancernogenic (cancer breeding agents) contained in cigarettes.

He enjoined smokers to note the environmental and health hazards of smoking and stop the habit.

Referring to the 2014 law regulating smoking in public places, Shabi said it was also to protect non smokers especially the aged and children whom he called the vulnerable group.

The law, he said, did not prevent the production and distribution of tobacco, adding: “The law on tobacco smoking in public places is not to stop tobacco production and distribution, but to guide the unsuspecting public who are indirectly affected by smoking. Every Lagosian has a right to choose to smoke or not, except minors, but the environment should be void of the effect of smoking on non-smokers”.

Shabi said this year’s theme: “Get ready for plain packaging”, is centred on reducing the attractiveness of tobacco product and restricting the use of tobacco packaging as forms of advertisement to entice patronage, especially the youths.

He described tobacco as the only legal consumer product that kills when used as intended by the manufacturer, adding that WHO statistics showed that every year, more than five million people die because they use tobacco, while another 600,000 non-smokers die from their exposure to second-hand smoke. “This makes tobacco one of the leading preventable risk factors for non-communicable health challenges such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes”.

June 2, 2016
Doctors canvass end to smoking

The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) and the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) have said tobacco smoking pose a danger to health. They are seeking ways to stop smoking in Nigeria.

AGPMPN’s Lagos State chairman Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo said tobacco smoking has done more harm than good to the people.

He spoke at a joint outing of AGPMPN/SOFPON at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja, Lagos to mark the World Family Doctors’ Day.

The theme was: Smoking Cessation.

He said children were not spared the agonising pains of the consequences of smoking, adding that millions of people die yearly from premature deaths traceable to tobacco consumption.

For him, smoking affects people’s health, economy, social and environment, as well as spiritual life.

He described the family physician as the most appropriate ‘goal keeper’ for most ailments needing orthodox care.

Arigbabuwo charged private doctors to be prepared at all times because they are not sure of the status and types of patients that would walk into their facilities for treatment.

He said smoking may be the right and choice of some individuals, but free air is the right of everybody.

Tobacco smoking, he said, has been observed to thrive in low and medium income countries.

“The consequences of tobacco smoking have been observed to pose some bills too heavy for these underdeveloped nations to handle,” he said.

He said about 124 countries had been identified to cultivate tobacco on large hectares of land, adding that advanced countries take advantage of the production benefits as well as the largescale market and price dictation. But the poor farmers who borrow funds to cultivate end up with huge losses, he said.

He identified primary and secondary smokers, saying the former takes a willful decision to smoke by polluting the latter. This, he said, makes the air unsafe air because of the environmental pollution from the primary smoker.

Nigeria has joined the group of heavy smokers. The male population outnumbers the female population on a global index. About 30% of the male population the world over has been reported to engage in tobacco smoking. The female population is about 10 percent.

India and China have been long known to have good numerical world subscribers to tobacco smoking. Even research on children has confirmed good number of children with anticipatory consent to join the “Smokers Club” when they grow up.

He said there was need for advocacy to reduce tobacco related cancer cases, stressing that Nigeria should fight against the premature deaths of its productive population because “youths take pleasure in tobacco smoking”.

The chairman, Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON), Lagos zone, Dr Blessing Chukwukelu said cigarette smoking is an unhealthy and lethal habit.

According to her, a persistent smoking habit greatly increases the risk of premature death.

Moreover, it has been recognised as a risk factor for many non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive airway disease, lung cancer and other cancers.

Tobacco smoking, she said, accounts for 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and 50 percent in women across the world.

She said there was a linear relationship between duration and heaviness of smoking and its negative impact on somebody’s health.

“The development of nicotine dependence and smoking habit is linked to social influence from family and friends. Children who are exposed to smoking at home are more likely to experiment with it,” she said.

Mrs Chukwukelu said similar smoking patterns among family members can be explained through shared genes, adding: “The initiation, maintenance and cessation of smoking are strongly influenced by family members.

The family doctor said there is increasing concern for the health risk of second hand smoke.

Smoking cessation, she said was an important behavior change, which can have considerable effect on health outcomes.

She advocated family intervention, saying it has become a standard part of most substance abuse programmes. “So, support involving cooperative behavior and reinforcement by family members predict successful quitting,” Mrs Chukwukelu said.

May 27, 2016
NCAA, police to arraign passenger for smoking

An unruly passenger found smoking on board an aircraft contrary to civil aviation regulations has been handed over to the police for prosecution.

The spokesman of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Sam Adurogboye made this known yesterday.

The passenger (name withheld), according to him, was onboard a South African Airways 060 from Johannesburg to Lagos.

He was alleged to be smoking on board the aircraft in contravention of Section 58 of the Civil Aviation Act 2006, Part.17.97.2 (a) and (c) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulation 2012 (Nig.CARs).

Adurogboye said NCAA and the Police have pledged to collaborate to ensure adequate investigation of the incident before prosecution.

He said: “In line with Part 20.2.3.42 of the Nig.CARs, the stipulated penalty for smoking on board an aircraft is imprisonment of not less than two months.

“It is important to note that according to the regulations, all airlines should and must as part of pre-flight formalities announce that smoking is prohibited anywhere in the cabin, including the toilet.

‘’This culprit, however, failed to adhere to this warning. Therefore, the NCAA will collaborate with the Police to ensure prosecution.

‘’The NCAA is committed to follow this case to its logical conclusion to serve as a deterrent to others.

“In addition, our Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP) has been strengthened to ensure passengers get full value for their money and comfort.”

April 25, 2016
Passenger arrested for smoking on Arik London flight

The Airport Police Command has arrested one Lawal Oluwabusola for smoking cigarette on board Arik Air flight from London to Lagos.

A statement by Mr Livinus Chukwuma Police Public Relations Officer PPRO Airport Command said, the man was apprehended on arrival at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

According to Chukwuma, the suspect was smoking cigarette in the lavatory which triggered off emergency alarm system in the aircraft causing confusion among passengers.

The PPRO said the suspect’s action was at variance with the in-flight safety procedures.

Chukwuma said the suspect has been arraigned in court on two count charges in accordance with section 2(1) of the FAAN bye law 2005 and section 166(1) (d) of the criminal law of Lagos State.

In a related development, the command has also apprehended a man for stealing the sum of $1,400 from a female passenger scheduled to fly Air France .

Chukwuma said the Passenger was was taking some rest on a couch in Gabfol lounge at MMIA waiting to board the flight when she forgot her purse containing the sum.

Meanwhile, the Airport Police Commissioner, CP Frederick Lakanu has urged airport users nationwide to conform with the rules and regulations guiding the airports and aviation industry as ignorance will not be tolerated as an excuse.

July 26, 2015
Curbing fish wastage through smoking technology

Fish is a staple food vital for good health. But the challenge for fish farmers is storage after harvest to enable them sell. Following this, there is a campaign to introduce smoked fish technology to prevent spoilage and help farmers earn more income. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

F Phil Onuoha has his way, all his fishes will be smoked. This followed dwindling sales, he suffered selling fish fresh.

A hardworking and dedicated fish farmer, Onuoha prefers selling his fish fresh from the pond.

The challenge however is that fresh fish can’t hold long periods of time. Though consumers prefer fresh fish, his challenges are transportation and storage facilities to keep it in a condition that can still be sold after moving them from the ponds.

For him and other farmers, transportation of live fish to the markets requires investment in trucks with fish holding cages.

While long distance transport of fresh fish further requires ice or trucks with cooling devices, the road from his farm to the market is bad during certain seasons.

In Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, where his farms are located, transporting fresh or live fish to rural markets was not feasible .

Besides, being expensive, it takes him time to move fish to central Lagos   where consumers are willing and able to pay higher prices.

Not able to do direct marketing, he has to contend with market women who come to buy on the farm.

Onuoha said the women would always want him to sell at a price that is not profitable and to serve as major link to the market.

While lowering the price will enable him to sell more, he said it makes no sense economically to do so.

As a result, sale at most times is often   poor after harvest. Besides, he explained that the    fish industry is prone to seasonal fluctuations in demand.

In most cases, fluctuations in demand is taken care of by processing.

According to him, selling fish is a high-risk business, as they go bad very quickly, so they have to do whatever they can to reduce the risk.

The option for him is smoking. After harvest, he smokes the fish within the farm. This helps him to control supply to the market, stabilise prices and reduce waste.

So far, he is making gains. His customers are aware he sells smoked fish. Also, consumers’ preferences for taste and price are taken care of.

Although modern preservation technologies would simplify their processes and would enable them to sell fresh fish, them can’t afford to buy cold storage equipment which cost run into millions of naira.

For such, smoking fish may be the way to go.

He said small-scale fish traders invest significant time and effort to preserve their stocks using traditional methods before they sell it.

To experts, kilns used for traditional smoking involves burning wood which leads to a variety of problems.

Aside producing more greenhouse gas pollution , it releases contaminants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are hazardous to the human respiratory system.

Farmers, also suffer from intense heat that affect their health.

The campaign now is to get more farmers introduced to smoking kiln technology that improve processing by reducing the smoke level to internationally acceptable standards.

One of the organisations promoting this is the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP).

WAAPP has resolved not    to strengthen fisheries but to support   technology transfer through universities and research institutes.

WAAPP-Nigeria National Project Coordinator, Prof. Damian Chikwendu said the priority focus of the project in Nigeria include aquaculture, poultry, cassava, maize, and rice among others.

He said WAAPP-Nigeria is   committed to doing anything possible to promote aquaculture.

In this regard, he said the National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR), New Bussa, Niger State is emerging into a National Center of Specialisation in Aquaculture. The objective, according to him, is to develop and release top notch technologies in aquaculture for adoption in Nigeria and Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) countries to increase productivity.

Chikwendusaid the programme is also supporting the smoked fish project at the institute.

Another institution also involved in this campaign is University of Ibadan,(UI).

In its Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management are specialists in aquaculture development .

The department conducts market research and provide fish farmers with business management support. It also provides technical assistance to visiting farmers.

Speaking while receiving World Bank WAAPP team at the university, its Head of Department, Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Prof Bamidele Omitoyin said the school is training students on smoked fish technology.

In addition, he said farmers are trained to process fish free from benzo-a pyrene considered hazardous to health. The facilities in the department, he maintained, has the capacity to smoke one tonne per batch within 24hours, adding that UI has all it takes to deliver services in areas of aquaculture.

The university fish farm, for instance, he noted is well positioned to deliver dividends in aquaculture research while essential infrastructure are also on ground to support research and production activities in the animal sciences.

At the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIMOR) ,Lagos, the World Bank WAAPP Task Team Leader ,DrAbdoulayeTouré said access to smoked technology is making real change possible for fish farmers .

With the support of WAAPP, he said NIMOR has trained entrepreneurs on modern fish smoking technology and introduced an industrial fish smoking kiln fabricated by the institute.

He said the improved fish smoking project aimed to catalyse the development of sustainable value chain fish smoking improving energy efficiency and supply.

He reiterated that WAAPP   is implementing a regional fisheries strategy aimed at improving the sustainable regional supply of fish and fishery products. The programme has five different result areas, the fifth one being food security, which primarily focuses on the implementation of activities, geared at reducing post-harvest fish losses that occur in small-scale fisheries.

In line with   this, NIOMR Executive Director, DrGbolahamAkande has urged cat fish farmers to embrace canning as a means of preserving their products.

He said cat fish farmers were recording losses due to poor preservation and lack of value chain, adding that canning would boost the income of the fish farmers.

“Canning the catfish will create value and increase the income of farmers. Instead of selling fishes unprocessed and at ridiculous prices, farmers should either smoke or can them to enhance their profit,” he said.

According to Akande, canned catfish   would compete favourably with the imported canned products such as Geisha and Sardine and also has the potential to become an export product for the country.

Its Head of Extension and Media Relations, Dr. Mabel Yarhere, said that the Catfish Canning Innovation Platform (CCIP) project was sponsored by the Forum for African Agricultural Research with $100,000 (N19.7 million)

She said the fund was to support research, processing, market survey, mobilisation of farmers and launching   various stage of the project within nine months.

According to her, farmers in the Southwest zone have been mobilised and empowered to embrace the project.

“We have assisted the farmers with fingerlings and feeds to boost catfish production as a step towards the success of the CCIP,” she said, adding that the platform was connecting co-operative societies to commercial banks, which would give them loans to drive their active participation in the projects.

Remarking that the CCIP project was a platform set on a stable ground and would create an open market for existing farmers and aspiring ones, she expressed delight that some of the farmers were already setting up canneries through sponsorship by state governments.

She assured of the safety of consuming canned catfish as it has no health implications.

“We have followed the international best practices as specified by FAO from primary production to finished products. We have worked with various local and international regulatory agencies to ensure quality,” she said.

To support the Federal Government’s move to increase fish production, the   National Association of Fish Farmers in Kebbi State said it will partner with the state SURE-P on the establishment of fingerlings production centre and packaging of fish after harvest.

Its Chairman, Alhaji Hussaini Raha, said the association would also partner with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research, New Bussa, on the management of fish farms.

Raha said an update of the membership records revealed 12,050 members located in Argungu, BirninKebbi, Bunza, Bagudo, Shanga, Yauri and Ngaski local government areas, producing tilapia and catfish.

According to him, the association has also registered 9,000 artisans and 300 cooperative societies.

He said that the association would strive to meet international standard in the production of smoked and fresh fish.

April 3, 2015