Social media users raise alarm over cigarette-shaped candy, demand FDA action (Video)

• Cigarette-shaped lollipops being sold in Ghana have sparked concern among health professionals, parents and social media users.

• Lawyer Seth Doe and others have questioned the products’ potential influence on children, while Kofi Kinaata also joined the conversation by quoting the post.

• The reactions have raised questions about how the products entered the Ghanaian market and which regulatory body should take action.

Videos showing cigarette-shaped lollipops being sold in Ghana have sparked concern on social media, with health professionals, parents and members of the public questioning how the products made their way onto the market.

The products, which are designed to resemble cigarettes, have attracted attention because of their potential appeal to children and concerns that such packaging could make tobacco use appear normal or harmless at a young age.

Pharmacist Dr George Anagli questioned how the products were allowed onto the Ghanaian market, while lawyer Seth Doe described their sale as intentional and raised concerns about their possible influence on children.

“No one invests into cigarette candy unless they’re intentionally creating the next generation of smokers,” Seth Doe said.

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He further claimed that cigarette suppliers could be behind the distribution of such products, adding: “The 12 year old candy boy will start smoking by 16.”

The issue has also attracted the attention of Ghanaian musician Kofi Kinaata, who quoted the post on X, with the development generating further reactions from social media users.

One commenter described the products as “seriously concerning”, questioning who approved them and why they were available to children.

Another user said the development was dangerous and questioned the types of products and content being made available to children.

“This is dangerous. You know the kinds of things allowed into this country is really disturbing,” the user wrote, while calling on regulatory agencies to take action.

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However, not everyone agreed that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) should be held responsible.

One commenter argued that the FDA's mandate is focused on the safety of products for consumption rather than determining whether a product is morally appropriate.

“This is not the FDA’s job. The FDA is not a morality organization. It just makes sure some items are safe for consumption,” the user said, adding that the product could be safe to eat while still being inappropriate because of its design.

The commenter suggested that the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) may be better placed to address concerns over the product's design and resemblance to tobacco products.

Another social media user claimed to have seen several children holding the cigarette-shaped lollipops during the Teshie Homowo Festival the previous week.

“I thought it was cigarette but then my son said it’s lolipop. I was really shocked and wondered what lessons these kids are learning,” the user said.

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Other users criticised Ghana's regulatory system and called on the FDA and GSA to investigate the products and their supply chain.

The controversy has consequently renewed questions about how products designed to resemble cigarettes are approved, imported and distributed in Ghana, particularly when they are accessible to children.

For many of those reacting online, the immediate concern is not simply whether the candy is safe to eat, but why a product designed to look like a cigarette is being marketed where children can easily access it.

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