Over 5 Million People Die Annually from Tobacco – WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in commemorating the Family Doctors’ Day, today in a report has exposed that over five million people die worldwide annually as a result of the intake of tobacco. In addition, the report also says the affected people also suffered lung cancer, heart diseases including heart attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, erectile dysfunction and birth defects. Also, the report estimated that over one billion people globally smoke tobacco adding that they do it based on recreational reasons and fulfilment of some religious rituals, among several others. Dr Frank Omo-Ehijele Odafen, the President of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), yesterday in Abuja, unveiled the 2016 theme as “Smoking Cessation”.  He revealed that many passive smokers such as children were affected by the behaviour of others. To put a stop to what he posited has killed approximately half of long-term smokers when compared to age mortality rates faced by non-smokers, he advised the federal government to put laws in place which is expected to protect non- smokers.He further urged the government to legislate that every family should have a family doctor. He said, “All government at all levels should ban smoking in public places/transport systems.Government should institute high taxation on tobacco products, National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), should run advertorial on TV/radio to discourage smoking, government should disallow all commercials advertising or promoting smoking in the media- print and electronic and government should provide social rehabilitation centres for those willing to give up smoking. Cultural practices that discourage children and youths from embracing smoking should be given more impetus and government should legislate that every family should have a family doctor.”