Guyana prepares to highlight dangers of smoking

May 30, 2009 News

One may not be exposed to passive or second-hand smoking by choice but such smoking has the potential to harm. This notion has been emphasised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and was pointed out in a release issued by the local Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of plans to raise awareness about the use of Tobacco even as World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on Sunday, draws near.
Passive smoking is said to occur when tobacco smoke permeates any environment causing its inhalation by people within that environment. Based on scientific evidence, an individual’s exposure to this second-hand smoke could cause diseases, disabilities and even death.
In fact, research has generated scientific evidence that second-hand smoke causes the same problems as direct smoking, including cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and lung ailments such as bronchitis and asthma attacks.
And to highlight the dangers associated with smoking, WNTD will be observed under the theme ‘Tobacco Health Warnings’ which was selected by WHO. It is believed that health warnings placed on cigarette packets are among the strongest defense against the global epidemic.
According WHO, tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death as more than five million people die from the effects of tobacco every year, more than from HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
In fact, it was noted that the tobacco is the only legal consumer product that kills when used exactly as the manufacturer intends, a situation which results in about half of all smokers dying from a tobacco-related disease.
Tobacco companies spend tens of millions of dollars every year turning new users into addicts and keeping current users from quitting.
“Through advertising and promotional campaigns, including the use of carefully crafted package designs, the tobacco industry continues to divert attention from the deadly effects of its products,” the release stated.
But more and more countries are fighting back by requiring that tobacco packages graphically show the dangers of tobacco, as called for in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Effective health warnings, especially those that include pictures, have been proven to motivate users to quit and to reduce the appeal of tobacco for those who are not yet addicted.
Despite this fact, it was revealed that nine out of 10 people live in countries that do not require warnings with pictures on tobacco packages.
“Requiring warnings on tobacco packages is a simple, cheap and effective strategy that can vastly reduce tobacco use and save lives. Health warnings on tobacco product packaging are critical to any effective tobacco control strategy. They increase public awareness of the serious health risks of tobacco use and help to ensure that the packaging tells the truth about the deadly product within,” says WHO.

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Guyana prepares to highlight dangers of smoking

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