WHO estimates that around 700 million children, or almost half of the world’s children, breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, particularly at home. In 1999, 80% of children aged 6-11 years in Cape Town were exposed to tobacco smoke by their parents or other family members. Second-hand smoke can lead to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), lung diseases , ear infections, and asthma attacks in infants and children.
We can try to protect children from tobacco smoke in public places. Unfortunately, it is harder to minimise their exposure to tobacco smoke in their own homes.
In adult non-smokers, passive smoking can cause lung cancer and heart disease. Just thirty minutes of exposure to second-hand smoke can lead to heart damage in older smokers or those with pre-existing heart conditions.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that at least 200 000 workers die every year due to exposure to second-hand smoke at work. Second-hand smoke is similar to the smoke inhaled by smokers and contains 4500 chemicals, including ammonia, carbon monoxide, cyanide and nicotine. In the USA, for every eight smokers killed by cigarettes, they take one non-smoker with them.
WHO called for public places to be 100% smoke-free as everyone has a right to clean air, free from tobacco smoke. 100% smoke-free is the only sure way to protect families, workers and the public from tobacco smoke. On May 31, the National Council Against Smoking called on smokers to take a first step towards beating their addiction, by giving up for the day. Smokers were also asked never to smoke near children.
Smokers may be pleasantly surprised to find that quitting is easier than they think. They can get free help in stopping smoking by calling the Quitline on 011 720 3145. A Quitline advisor can help smokers work out their reasons for quitting, plan their quit attempt and give them strategies to deal with cravings.
The acting Minister of Health, Mr Jeff Radebe and Dr. Yussuf Saloojee celebrated World No-Tobacco Day in Malmesbury, Western Cape. The event was an opportunity to share ideas, celebrate successes and build partnerships with the local community.
For further information call: Dr Yussuf Saloojee, Executive Director for the National Council Against Smoking (NCAS), on 011 643 2958 or 0766335322.
In 2005 non-communicable diseases (NCD) accounted for 2.4 million deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, equivalent to 23% of all deaths in this region. By the year 2030 it is estimated that total cumulative deaths due to NCD in this region will exceed 28 million people. Tobacco is a major risk factor for NCD morbidity and mortality. This situation represents a major global public health crisis. Public Health Associations play a leadership role in the promotion and protection of public health policy, programs and practice. The Mozambique Public Health Association, in cooperation with the Canadian Public Health Association, organized in Maputo on May 29 and 30, 2007 a workshop on Leadership in Tobacco Control for Public Health Associations in East and Southern Africa. Representatives of public health associations in Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa and Mozambique, as well as representatives from the World Health Organization, the Research for International Tobacco Control/International Development Research Centre, and Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada met to prepare an action strategy on tobacco control for public health associations in the East and Southern Africa region. This strategy identifies how public health associations can contribute to generating scientifically-sound data to
advance the public health cause related to tobacco control, the utilization of this evidence for advocacy strategies to promote the ratification/accession and implementation by national governments of the world’s first public health treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and identify how public health associations can contribute to national and regional monitoring of the application of the FCTC. This strategy will be implemented in partnership with other civil society organizations and governments.
The workshop participants unanimously called on all governments in east and southern Africa to acknowledge tobacco control as a serious public health issue, to ratify/ accede to the FCTC as soon as possible, and use it to advance tobacco control and protect the health of their people. The workshop participants also called on all governments, public health associations and NGOs involved in tobacco control in east and southern Africa to prepare and submit proposals to existing funding mechanisms, be they local sources or international sources, such as the Bloomberg Global Initiative.
The workshop took place when World No Tobacco Day is celebrated in every country on earth.
