The President of the Turkey Anti-Smoking Association, Assoc. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, made important statements on World Health Day, celebrated every year on April 7, saying, “We will continue the fight until the last molecule of tobacco is eliminated.”
World Health Day, celebrated on April 7 each year, brings attention to the negative effects of tobacco and tobacco products on our health. According to the recent World Health Organization (WHO) report on the global tobacco epidemic, Turkey stands out as one of the most successful countries in the fight against smoking, alongside Brazil, the Netherlands, and Mauritius. Assoc. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, General President of the Turkey Anti-Smoking Association, which has been the most successful civil society organization in the fight against smoking since its establishment, stated, “The World Health Organization guides countries in their tobacco control efforts, outlining necessary measures under six headings. Four countries, including Turkey, have emerged as the best implementers of these six measures. Through these measures, more people are slowly but surely being protected from the harms of tobacco.”
“Smoking is a non-communicable and preventable disease.”
Assoc. Dr. Aydın emphasized that tobacco and tobacco products are among the major threats to global health, stating, “Smoking is an extremely harmful habit that causes the deaths of more than 8 million people each year. A significant number of these deaths involve people who are seriously exposed to secondhand smoke.” He noted that smoking is a non-communicable disease that is preventable worldwide, adding, “Tobacco use is the leading cause of deaths related to these diseases. There are over 7,000 chemical substances in cigarette smoke. These substances include highly harmful chemicals such as cadmium, methane gas, carbon monoxide, arsenic known for its toxic effects used in the chemical industry, nicotine often used in pesticide production, and ammonia used in the paint industry. Hundreds of these are toxic, and over 70 are directly carcinogenic. Among these toxic chemicals that have extremely negative effects on health, nicotine also has a strong stimulatory effect on the nervous system, leading to both psychological and physical dependence on nicotine in smokers over time.”
“With implemented measures and precautions, the number of smokers is decreasing.”
Assoc. Dr. Aydın also referred to the WHO’s Global Report on Trends in Tobacco Use, stating, “The implemented measures, established laws, efforts by civil society organizations, and our conferences and seminars have shown a declining trend in the number of smokers, especially due to recent penalties imposed on smoking. By raising awareness, we can accelerate the consciousness of new generations against smoking. In the coming years, the number of tobacco and tobacco product users in our country will significantly decrease.”
Finally, Assoc. Dr. Aydın concluded, “As the Turkey Anti-Smoking Association, we have taken a pioneering role in the fight against smoking since our establishment, educating the public. As we always say, we will continue the fight until the last molecule of tobacco is eliminated.”