The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has seized cigarette-shaped candy being sold at Makola Market in Accra and arrested one suspect during an enforcement operation carried out with support from the Ghana Police Service and National Security. The action followed public complaints and social media posts drawing attention to the products.
The products, commonly described as cigarette-shaped sweets or “cigarette toffee”, attracted concern because of their resemblance to tobacco products. Images and videos of the candy had circulated online, prompting calls for regulatory intervention.
In a statement published on August 29, the FDA confirmed that its enforcement team had acted at Makola and that the exercise resulted in the seizure of the products and the arrest of a suspect.
The Authority did not disclose the suspect’s identity or the quantity of candy seized.
The FDA said its action was based on Ghana’s tobacco-control framework. It cited the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) and the Tobacco Control Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2247), which restrict the advertising and depiction of tobacco and tobacco-related products in the media and at points of sale.
The seizure does not, by itself, establish that the arrested individual is guilty of an offence. The person remains a suspect, and any further legal action will depend on the outcome of investigations.
The case has also raised broader questions about how the cigarette-shaped candy entered Ghana’s market and reached major trading centres such as Makola.
While the FDA has confirmed the seizure and arrest, details about the product’s supplier, importer or wider distribution network have not been made public.
The enforcement comes amid growing public concern over products designed to imitate cigarettes, particularly because of their potential appeal to children. However, claims about the product’s specific effects on children should not be treated as established fact unless supported by appropriate evidence.
The FDA has indicated that it will continue enforcement activities aimed at ensuring products sold on the Ghanaian market comply with relevant safety and regulatory requirements. Further information is expected as investigations into the seized candy and the arrested suspect progress.
