A child sees a colourful sweet and asks for one until they realise it looks exactly like a cigarette.
That is the concern surrounding the “Cigarette Rod Lollipop,” a cigarette-shaped confectionery that has sparked public outrage in Ghana.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), supported by the Ghana Police Service and National Security, seized the product in Accra and arrested a suspect. The FDA says it was not registered, meaning its composition had not been verified.
But the bigger question remains: Who failed the children?
Is It the FDA?
The FDA must regulate food products sold in Ghana. If an unregistered product was imported and sold, questions remain about how it entered the country, passed through Ghana’s borders and customs processes, and circulated before action was taken.
What About Sellers and Importers?
Manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers must ensure their products comply with Ghanaian law.
Importers and customs authorities also have a responsibility to ensure that products entering Ghana meet the required safety and regulatory standards. A product that is not registered should not be allowed to move from the border into shops and markets.
A sweet designed to resemble a cigarette raises concerns beyond safety. The FDA warns that such products could normalise smoking among children and undermine efforts to discourage tobacco use.
And Parents?
Parents cannot inspect every product on every shelf, but they remain an important line of defence.
If a child brings home a cigarette-shaped sweet, parents should explain why cigarettes are harmful and why imitating them can send the wrong message. Children learn through imitation and pretend play.
This Is Bigger Than Candy
The issue is about what Ghana allows children to access, how products enter the country, and how they are designed and marketed.
The seizure is a step, but the conversation should not end at Makola. Ghana’s borders, customs processes, regulators, importers and sellers must all be part of the discussion.
The FDA, customs authorities, importers, sellers and parents all have a role in protecting children.
When a cigarette looks like candy, the question is not just “Is it sweet?”
It is: “What are we teaching our children?”
