World No Tobacco Day: Experts appeal to smokers to rethink choices
The panel strongly advocated for people to stop smoking and the youth to rethink their choices and take an informed decision when they consider starting to smoke.
Amid the much-criticised ban on the sale of tobacco products and an impending court case faced by government, South Africa today commemorated World No Tobacco Day.
A global annual campaign headed up by The World Health Organization (WHO), World No Tobacco Day focuses on the dangers of tobacco use and aims to debunk myths and expose tobacco-related industry tactics.
Dr Joe Phaahla, Deputy Minister of Health, chairing a discussion with scientists and civil society, strongly advocated for people to stop smoking and the youth to rethink their choices and take an informed decision when they consider starting to smoke, or vaping, as this may lead to a craving for more nicotine. He said that an increase in inflammatory lung diseases among young people in the US was ascribed by scientist to an increase in vaping, and there were no benefits to smoking or the use of tobacco products.
Phaahla said the increase in tax on tobacco products and education about the dangers of smoking led to a decrease in tobacco-related deaths: Some 15 years ago, 40 000 deaths per year were ascribed to pulmonary obstruction diseases due to the use of tobacco products, while currently that number had decreased to 20 000 deaths.
”While there were 32% of adults using tobacco products in 1992, only 18,2% of adults were smoking or using tobacco products in the country in 2012,” he said.
He said extensive educational campaigns have led to a reduction in the use of tobacco products among learners.
According to Phaahla, some 800 000 people have stopped smoking during the lockdown. Work conducted by researchers at the University of Cape Town’s School of Economics, estimated that in 2016, 20 249 deaths among persons aged 35 to 74 in South Africa were smoking-attributed. Smoking-related diseases translated to a direct healthcare cost of R11,4 billion and were responsible for 3,24% of the total healthcare expenditure during that same year. From a healthcare provider point of view, this cost is significant, he said.
Dr David Eedes, Clinical Oncology Advisor of Icon Oncology said all cancers have a financial implication.
“Emotional, physical and societal costs aside, all cancer is expensive. In the private sector, any active treatment for a lung cancer would cost hundreds of thousands of Rand to treat, with some of the latest treatments for lung cancer being over R1 million per year. Cancer treatment requires large teams of people and infrastructure. Besides cancer specialists, surgeons, pathologists and radiologists, numerous associated medical personnel are involved in the treatment of cancer patients. Equipment and medications are almost all imported and with the current economic challenges, this places a significant burden on our healthcare industry,” he said.
According to the SA National Cancer Registry of 2014, well over 5 000 new patients are diagnosed with tobacco-related cancers each year, which include cancer of the lungs, esophagus, mouth and throat. All of these cancers have high mortality rates as they are aggressive and difficult to treat, he added.
“Tobacco is the only legally produced consumer product which, when used exactly as intended, kills half its users. Stopping smoking is the single most important thing you can do for your health”, said Scott Hogarth, Spokesperson for GoSmokeFree.
The WHO’s latest statement on tobacco use and Covid-19 reports that the use of tobacco kills more than eight million people globally each year. More than seven million of these deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while 1,2 million deaths are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
Tobacco use accounts for 21% of total worldwide cancer deaths, making it the most preventable cause of cancer. On account of the devastating impact of smoking on Covid-19, the WHO has put out a scientific brief based on a review of 32 studies, in which it notes that “Smoking is associated with increased severity of disease and death in hospitalised Covid-19 patients”.
Smoking any kind of tobacco reduces lung capacity, increases the risk of many respiratory infections and can increase the severity of respiratory diseases. Covid-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs. Smoking impairs lung function, making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other respiratory diseases.
https://www.citizen.co.za/review-online/427358/quit-smoking-with-drill-sergeant-kick-butt/
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