On the occasion of November 20th, World No Tobacco Day, Associate Professor Dr. Mustafa Aydın, President of the Turkey Against Tobacco Association (TSSD), stated, “It is our duty to leave a breath of fresh air for future generations. Every six seconds, a smoking-related death occurs in the world, and each year, $25 billion goes up in smoke due to tobacco.”
The World Health Organization organizes designated days for fighting tobacco each year. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, President of the Turkey Against Tobacco Association, noted, “Every year on this date, we emphasize the harm that smoking causes to human health, the economy, future generations, and society. We strive to raise public awareness in this regard. Leaving a fresh and clean breath for future generations should be our collective responsibility. For this reason, we, as the Turkey Against Tobacco Association, will continue our fight until the last molecule of tobacco disappears.”
“$25 billion goes up in smoke every year”
Dr. Aydın pointed out that tobacco producers worldwide hold significant market shares and operate in a cartel-like manner. He said, “There is a serious market worth $25 billion in the hands of cigarette cartels. This means we burn and waste $25 billion every year. These cartels do everything they can to maintain their market share and engage in all kinds of dirty advertising. They resort to every method to make smoking appealing, especially to our youth and young children. Our goal is not only to communicate the harms of smoking but also to combat these cartels and diminish their influence in society.”
“The leading cause of heart diseases and various cancers”
Reminding that there are 1.1 billion smokers worldwide, Dr. Aydın stated, “Every six seconds, a smoking-related death occurs in the world. Smoking leads to many types of cancer, primarily heart diseases. In our country, 70% of heart and vascular diseases and 90% of lung cancers are caused by smoking. The risk of developing throat cancer is 20 times higher in smokers. Moreover, smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer. As seen, smoking has a severely destructive impact on health. We must fight with all our strength to protect future generations from the harmful effects of smoking and to raise awareness on this issue.”
“Smoking starts in the brain and is quit in the brain”
Dr. Aydın noted that many people want to quit smoking today but often turn to alternatives out of fear of not being able to quit. He said, “In recent years, e-cigarettes have unfortunately become the most sought-after alternative for those who want to quit smoking. However, I must emphasize that e-cigarettes contain more chemicals than regular cigarettes and are more dangerous. It is extremely wrong to try to correct one mistake with another. Our society, especially our youth, must be enlightened on this issue. I always say that smoking starts in the brain and is quit in the brain. Individuals who want to quit smoking must be determined. If you cannot, you should definitely seek help. You can obtain medical, physical, and psychological support from institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Health and those licensed by the ministry. But please do not trust places that offer different methods under the guise of helping you quit smoking without the ministry’s approval.”
In his closing remarks, Dr. Aydın said, “On the occasion of November 20th, World No Tobacco Day, I wish all our smoking brothers and sisters to free themselves from this addiction as soon as possible and leave a smoke-free life for future generations.”
Source: www.iha.com.tr
Date: 19.11.2022