ACCRA, Ghana – Monday, June 1, 2020/ https://africanpostonline.com/— 31st May 2020 was marked as World No Tobacco Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched an anti-tobacco day focusing on children and the youth.
Many youths across the globe are becoming addicted to e-cigarette made of different flavours and are sweet-scented. Some tobacco products are also in the form of bubble-gum & candy.
According to the WHO, tobacco products kill over 8 million people every year. Smoking suffocates the lungs and other organs, depriving the organs of oxygen needed to develop and function properly. Tobacco endangers the lungs of users and non-users worldwide. Exposure to tobacco exposes one to lungs cancer, chronic respiratory disease amongst others.
However, the tobacco industry is targeting youths to replace people that tobacco is killing as a measure to continue making profits with over 40 million young people aged 13-15 already using tobacco. WHO in response, launched a kit for children and the youth to sensitize them on the addictiveness of tobacco and the industries tactics to get them to use their product.
WHO uses the hashtag on twitter, SpeakOut as anti-tobacco campaign aim at creating awareness and stopping the tobacco industry from exploiting children and young people.
“Every year the tobacco industry invests over $9B to advertise its products. The tobacco and related industries has offered free branded masks & delivery to your door during #COVID19 quarantine and has lobbied for their products to be listed as ‘essential’. It’s high time to get #TobaccoExposed & #SpeakOut! ” WHO twitted.
WHO is appealing to all sectors to help stop the marketing tactics of tobacco and related industries that prey on children & young people through sponsorship or representation from tobacco companies speaking to students, celebrities & influencers advertising tobacco products, and the showing of tobacco or e-cigarette on television.
Renate Dzodzomenyo- African Post Online
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Renate is a lawyer, publicist, and writer. She believes that education and information is the key to developing and shaping Africa. In her free time, she paints beautiful art pieces on canvas. Renate believes that life is a perception, and you live it the way you perceive it.
