The City District Government (CDGL), in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) organised a walk on World No Tobacco Day 2012. The walk was organised from EDO Health Office, Cooper Road and ended up at Faisal Chowk, The Mall.
Speaking on the occasion, Shehzad Alam, WHO NPO (TFI) said tobacco is one of the leading preventable causes of death. In Pakistan, tobacco epidemic kills nearly 100,000 people each year and about 274 people every day. Tobacco use increases the likelihood of many illnesses as it contains carbon monoxide and nicotine which cause lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema, he added.
Alam discussed the use of shisha as a modern form of the hookah that uses hazardous, aromatic tobacco to attract teenagers. “Shisha smokers inhale up to hundred times more tobacco in a single session than a cigarette”. He stressed on the need to implement the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smoker Health Ordinance. He also advised parents to keep an eye on their children’s activities to save them from Tobacco usage.
