The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has refuted a viral video circulating on social media which falsely claims the agency approved a herbal product — Lung Detox Tea or Lungtox (Smokers Pride) — said to make smoking “healthy.”

 

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC described the video as “misleading” and the claims as “entirely false.”

 

“The product in question, marketed as Lung Detox Tea or Lungtox (Smokers Pride), is not registered by NAFDAC, and the claims are entirely false and unfounded,” the agency stated.

 

According to Adeyeye, an application for the product was initially submitted to NAFDAC’s Lagos office in 2023 but was rejected due to its unscientific and hazardous health claims. The applicant, she said, failed to provide scientific evidence of the product’s safety and effectiveness and never resubmitted it for evaluation.

 

“As a science-led regulator, NAFDAC does not approve any product lacking scientific validation or one that poses a risk to public health,” she emphasized. “Therapeutic claims for herbal products are strictly prohibited unless backed by clinical trials.”

 

She also condemned the use of organ imagery on the product’s packaging, labeling it a violation of NAFDAC’s regulations.

 

In addition, the agency denounced the video’s insinuations of financial inducement, describing them as baseless and defamatory. Prof. Adeyeye revealed that the agency’s Legal Services Directorate is reviewing the statements and may initiate legal action.

 

NAFDAC urged the public to disregard the video and report any suspicious products through its official channels, while reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the health and safety of Nigerians.

 

UGAMA TV notes that NAFDAC had previously issued a similar disclaimer on the product in December 2024.