A press release from the Medical Research Council-The Gambia at the London School of Tropical Medicine (MRC-G/LSTM) informs of the launch of a study in 2024 to examine the emerging practice of some women in The Gambia and other countries within the subregion of tobacco intravaginally.
According to the MRC-G/LSTM, the study has examined both the socio-cultural motivations behind the practice and the chemical composition of the tobacco used. The study, according to the press release, responds to growing concerns over a practice that is reported in multiple Sub-Saharan African countries, but has received little scientific attention, noting that a 2023 paper publication in one of the medical journals helped to spotlight the issue by laying the foundation for the study.
Below is the full statement of the MRC-G’s press release as sent to media houses across the country.
‘‘In 2024, a study was launched to examine the emerging practice of intravaginal insertion of tobacco in The Gambia and other countries.
The study examines both the sociocultural motivations behind the practice and the chemical composition of the tobacco used. It responds to growing concern over a practice that is reported in multiple Sub-Saharan African countries but has received little scientific attention. A 2023 paper published in BMJ Tobacco Control helped spotlight the issue and laid the foundation for the study.
‘According to Dr Bai Cham, Postdoctoral Research Associate at MRCG, lead author of the paper and Principal Investigator of the study, the goal is to shine some light on a hidden issue that has profound health implications and to empower communities with the knowledge to protect themselves.’ Understanding the reason behind this practice is imperative to public health.
In collaboration with research partners in the United States and The Gambia, the study looks at what motivates women who use tobacco intravaginally. It also documents tobacco use behaviours and assesses the chemical composition (including nicotine content) and the level of toxicity of the products.
Preliminary findings from the study reveal that women use intravaginal tobacco for various reasons, including treating vaginal yeast infection, enhancing sexual pleasure, improving pregnancy and labour outcomes and treating various health conditions including hypertension, asthma and infertility. Findings also show that the product is often marketed by local vendors as traditional medicine, but may contain dangerous additives, including baobab ash, caustic soda, cannabis, and shea butter, raising concerns about its potential toxicological effects.
As the project progresses towards its conclusion in December 2025, its findings are expected to provide a vital evidence base for designing culturally relevant public health interventions, education campaigns, and policy strategies aimed at curbing this unconventional and potentially harmful practice across sub-Saharan Africa.
Meanwhile, preliminary findings of the study are already making a difference. The Mother’s Health Foundation, a local partner based in The Gambia, is using the insights to inform its community outreach and advocacy work, encouraging women to abandon intravaginal tobacco use and seek safer alternatives.
The study is funded by the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use through the CDC Foundation, with a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies.’’
