…warn cigarette smokers of inherent dangers
By Angela Onwuzoo
Citing its negative health impact, experts have warned Nigerians to desist from the habit of smoking or risk lung cancer.
According to them, it had been scientifically proven that tobacco is harmful to human health, and contains more than 7,000 chemicals, of which 250 are proven to be harmful and more than 69 known to cause cancer.
The health experts also said smokers were not the only ones at risk but also posed a great health risk to those who are often around them when they smoke (second-hand smoke exposure).
Tobacco, according to the World Health Organisation, kills up to half of its users.
Regrettably, despite the overwhelming health risks associated with tobacco consumption, report from the Federal Ministry of Health on this year’s World No Tobacco Day celebration ,showed that many Nigerians have ignored the risks and still engage in the habit of smoking.
Disclosing the figure at an event in Abuja recently to mark the day, Acting Minister of Health and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health, Abdullahi Mashi, said Nigerians consumed over 20 billion sticks of cigarettes annually, resulting in over 16,100 deaths every year.
”In Nigeria, findings from the 2012 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) show very high burden of tobacco use in the country with over 20 billion sticks of cigarettes consumed annually. The Nigerian GATS found 4.5 million (5.6%) adults to be current users of tobacco products”, he said.
The theme of this year’s celebration, “Don’t Let Tobacco Take Your Breath Away ” was aimed at increasing awareness on the negative impact that tobacco has on people’s lung health, from cancer to chronic respiratory disease. The theme also looked at the fundamental role that the lungs play for the health and well-being of all people.
World No Tobacco Day is celebrated every year on May 31, by the WHO and global partners to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.
Tobacco, WHO says is deadly in any form and threatens the lung health of everyone exposed to it, warning that it kills one person every four seconds.
Some pharmacists who spoke with The Point in an interview on this year’s theme, said Nigerians must be well-informed about the dangers of tobacco consumption on their health particularly on their vital body organs like the heart, lungs and kidneys.
President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said tobacco is a leaf that releases nicotine and therefore, has the effect of stimulating the blood system.
Ohuabunwa, a renowned pharmacist, said the use of tobacco as a result of its nicotine, has the effect of causing high blood pressure because it affects the blood vessels.
“Nicotine, theophylline and caffeine are all related to cocaine. They have similar physiological responses. But if that is all they did, then we can manage them better. But it has been proven that because of the smoke that they produce, they are able to darken the lungs because the smoke passes through the lungs.
“Now rather than pick oxygen, the smoke, which is carbonmonoxide and carbondioxide begins to dispel oxygen and the capacity of the lungs to metabolise oxygen is reduced. When this begins to happen, the individual will begin to have problem with breathing because he doesn’t have enough oxygen in his system. Instead, he has carbonmonoxide and carbondioxide inhaled in his system”, he explained.
The PSN boss told our correspondent that beyond affecting the lungs, tobacco also affects metabolism of the cells .
“Tobacco causes instigation of cancerous cells. Today, it has been proven that cigarettes smoking causes emphysema, bronchial pneumonia and lung cancer. Its causation of cancer is the reason why it is being banned”, he said.
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than 8 million people a year. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke, according to WHO.
Ohuabunwa further said: “Before tobacco had good use. It was used before to create internal heat and was used to deal with cold for those who smoke. But today, we have found out that it is dangerous to health. That is why there is a general consensus that life will be better, the lungs will perform better if people are free from emphysema, bronchial pneumonia and lung cancer all caused by tobacco consumption . That is why we are supporting the World No Tobacco Day.
Emphysema experts say occurs when cigarettes smoke or other air pollutants, such as dust or fumes, damage the walls between one’s air sacs over time.
A publication by Cancer Research UK showed a strong link between smoking and cancer as it is said to cause at least 15 different types of cancer.
According to the report on the research centre’s website, smoking causes other cancers including mouth, pharynx (upper throat), nose and sinuses, larynx (voice box), oesophagus (food pipe), liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bowel, ovary, bladder, cervix, and some types of leukaemia.
The report also showed that smoking causes other diseases too, such as heart disease and various lung diseases.
A Professor of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Prof. Cecilia Igwilo, said tobacco smoking is dangerous to health, warning pregnant women to desist from it or risk giving birth to children with deformity.
Igwilo said: “ Tobacco in pregnancy is very dangerous. Exposing a pregnant woman to tobacco fumes or smoke affects the foetus drastically. There must be a control of tobacco use. It should not be used in public places. Its use can lead to poor development of vital organs of a baby in the womb. Nigerians must know the devastating effects that tobacco has on the body. Cancer of the lungs has been implicated because of tobacco smoke.”
Also speaking, Assistant Director, Drug Demand Reduction Division, Narcotic and Substance Directorate, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Mrs Clara Anyanwu, said tobacco affects the central nervous system. “Tobacco affects the way you think, the way you behave and the way you coordinate”, she noted.
Anyanwu is particularly worried about the use of tobacco among adolescents and youth.
She stated: ” The major problem we are having now is that it is coming in form of shisha and our children are consuming it without know the damage is causing to their brains. Shisha is tobacco but with flavour.
According to her, the manufacturers are deceiving children into taking this tobacco with sweet vanilla flavour.
The pharmacist revealed that some of the tobacco products were also coming in form of ice cream and coffee.
“As our children are sipping it, they are enjoying the flavour without knowing that something dangerous is happening to their brain”, she said.
Way Forward
The stakeholders appealed to the Federal Government to urgently commence the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015.
Ohuabunwa recommended that people should stop smoking because even those who do not directly smoke are affected by those who smoke around them.
“We have found out that tobacco is dangerous to health. That is why there is a general consensus that life will be better if it is banned”, he said.
Prof. Igwilo called on the government to enforce tobacco prohibition laws to protect Nigerians from exposure to second-hand smoke and ensure a clean and healthy environment that is tobacco free.
On her part, Anyanwu said with the increase of consumption of shisha among youth, NAFDAC would be looking into banning such product causing a serious health
problem.