One person will die every four seconds worldwide due to smoking, by 2030, warned a senior health official in Colombo, this week.
Health Ministry, Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) Director Thalatha Liyanage addressing a conference to mark World No Tobacco Day, May 31 in Colombo, said that, according to current reports, it stands at one death every six seconds.
“The increase in the death rate is due to excessive smoking occurring worldwide,” she said.
She said that one billion deaths due to active and passive smoking were reported in the 21st century.
“Tobacco is the only lawfully approved product that claims and kills a large number of people” said Dr Liyanage.
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| Prof. Carlo Fonseka addressing the gathering. Pic by Amila Prabodha |
She emphasized the fact that the tobacco industry has become the vicious vector in spreading NCDs around communities.
She said there more than 4,800 lethal toxic substances and 28 carcinogens in cigarettes - Toxins which directly cause cancer, and in smokeless forms are the roots of numerous diseases that harm the health and wellbeing of the masses.
Toxic ingredients found in cigarettes are Nicotine (used as an insecticide), Ammonia (used in fertilizers), Tar (used to make roads), Carbon Monoxide, Methane (greenhouse gas) are all toxins which are harmful to the human body and can damage it critically.
Peripheral Vascular Diseases, Cardio Vascular Diseases, Tuberculosis (TB), Emphysema (lung disease) and the most common and dangerous disease, Cancer, are critical diseases found in the world due to active and passive smoking.
Dr. Liyanage that an individual could lose everything he owns not only wealth but looks, appetite, taste, smell and family due to smoking.
Chief Guest Prof. Carlo Fonseka spoke on the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO), and highlighted how tobacco is harmful to the human body.
WHO Representative in Sri Lanka, Dr. Firdosi Rustom Mehta gave an overview of the theme of the Conference, describing areas that influence the tobacco industry to spread its tentacles and the measures taken to put a stop to the spread of the virus, through the WHO Framework Convention. |
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