price of cigarettes...

The "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" gained wide press and international support when it became the WHO's first (and only) legally-binding treaty of its kind. During my internship, at the non-communicable disease department in Geneva (where tobacco control is kind of important!) it was upheld as one of the organisation's greatest successes. I do not disagree.

So how and why are the cigarette companies here allowed to get away with selling 3 cigarettes for 100 CFA (that's less than 13p) and throw in an extra mint for free?

I have seen no evidence of anti-smoking advice or campaigns since arriving. It's back to the era of smelling of smoke when you come back from a restaurant, bar or club. The doctors in hosptial rarely take "un histoire du tabagisme". Many, if not a majority, of patients I have seen so far at clinic have presented with a cough, weight loss, fatigue etc - TB? yes, probably epidemiologically, but when will lung cancer also be one of the top differentials?