Tobacco consumption is the main preventable cause of death in the world, the National Institute of Public Health announced on Thursday in a message sent on the occasion of National No Tobacco Day.
Smoking among young people, an alarming phenomenon. Photo source: archive
Every year, on the third Thursday of November, National No Tobacco Day is celebrated, which aims to raise awareness among the population about the health risks associated with tobacco consumption. This year the event takes place under the slogan “Choose wisely! Say NO to smoking!”.
“Tobacco consumption is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. Tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 toxic chemicals, and lifetime smoking can shorten a person’s life by at least 10 years, on average. About a quarter of the productive years of life lost due to disability are caused by diseases attributable to tobacco use”explained INSP.
According to the institute, the high prevalence of smoking among young people is “worrying”, along with the expansion of new products containing tobacco, the increase in the use of vaping devices and heated tobacco.
“The age of starting to use tobacco products is usually before 25 years, with maximum risk of addiction. According to the YRBSS 2022 study, 40% of high school students in Romania have smoked at least one cigarette during their lifetime. Among them, 8 out of 10 have also experimented with new tobacco products – electronic cigarettes or heated tobacco products”, specified in the message.
Limiting tobacco consumption is one of the most effective ways to save lives and improve general well-being, doctors say.
Annually, more than 8.7 million people die from diseases associated with tobacco use
According to statistics, worldwide, more than 8.7 million people die annually due to the consumption of tobacco products. The majority of these deaths (7.4 million) are attributable to direct tobacco use, while the remaining over 1.3 million deaths are attributable to exposure to secondhand smoke. About 80% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
In the European Union, tobacco use is the most important cause of death, responsible for approximately 700,000 deaths each year, and is also one of the most important preventable health risk factors. Despite the progress achieved in reducing the prevalence of smoking in the EU, the number of smokers is still very high: around 26% of the entire population, i.e. one in five people and, what is even worse, 29% of young people aged 15 – 24-year-old smokes, attracts the attention of the INSP.
The data presented in the Health at a Glance 2023 report show that, in Romania, the prevalence of daily smoking among men was 30.8%, and among women 7.7%.
