THE TOBACCO CONTROL COUNCIL EMBARKS UPON ITS 2020 PROGRAMME

Feb 02, 2020 Consumer Concerns, News

PAT DIAL

The theme of educating the population against the dangers of tobacco is one to which consumer advocates always return since it is among the greatest causes of death and debilitation in modern society.
The Guyana Consumers Association (GCA), PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health under former Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who was himself one of the most committed crusaders against tobacco first begun the uphill struggle against tobacco.
It was in those early years that the present legislation to control tobacco use was formulated as well as the graphic warnings were adopted. In this process, there was much interchange among Caribbean countries.
When the Tobacco Control Council laid out its plans for 2020, the Guyana Consumers Association committed itself to lending its support to help the Council achieve a successful year. At this point, we would reiterate some facts relating to the dangers of tobacco use.
Tobacco use, according to WHO statistics, causes more than six million preventable deaths each year and the majority of these occur in low and middle income countries like Guyana. In the Developed Countries, tobacco use is falling away but in the Developing countries it is growing, especially among the youth.
Tobacco is responsible for the onset of a number of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s). These include several types of cancer – lung cancer, cancer of the throat and mouth, and cancers of the kidney, bladder, stomach and uterine cervix.
Tobacco increases the risk of heart disease and stroke as well as hypertension. Smoking is an independent risk factor for diabetes. Diabetics who smoke die much earlier and the condition is acerbated with amputation and problems associated with vision.
Smoking causes emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia, erectile dysfunction in men and miscarriages in women. Second-hand smoking, that is others who are non-smokers inhaling the smoke emitted from smokers, is equally dangerous to health.
The negative economic effects of smoking are well known. It debilitates large sections of the work force whose productivity falls and it places added financial burdens on the state with the cost of hospitalisation for sufferers from tobacco use.
Families also suffer when the breadwinner becomes ill from tobacco use or may prematurely die imposing unnecessary financial and emotional stress on wives, children and other dependents.
Over 57% of Guyanese suffer from non-communicable diseases of one type or another and many of these diseases could be traced back to tobacco use. Seventy percent of the deaths in Guyana are caused by heart disease, cancers, hypertension, lung diseases and diabetes. These diseases are either caused or exacerbated by tobacco use.
For its 2020 agenda, the National Tobacco Control Council (NTCC) has committed itself to enforcing the Tobacco Act. There are many facets to the Act but we will underscore a few of their initiatives: It will protect non-smokers, especially children, from second-hand smoke by instituting a ban on smoking in all public places such as parks, public transport or public rooms in offices or waiting rooms.
Another important activity of the NTCC is in respect of the Tobacco industry where it will ensure the industry complies with the Regulations, especially in the promotion and sale of its product and in packaging relating to the pictoral warnings.
In addition to the general public, NTCC expects to devote a great deal of its time to the education and information of stakeholders. There would be workshops for media personnel, governmental and inspectorate agencies and others who may be involved in helping to execute the Tobacco Legislation.
As important as the enforcement of the Act, is the effort to have smokers voluntarily give up the habit or addiction. Various “Quit Smoking Guides” are available from various countries but in order to be successful, there must be a personal involvement with smokers who would wish to quit. Help lines should also be established.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News