EVERY year, 1.2 million Europeans die due to smoking, accounting for 14 per cent of all deaths in Europe, Health Minister Christos Patsallides said yesterday.
The figure was given at a news conference in light of World No Tobacco Day.
The minister’s address was given by Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Yiannos Papadopoulos.
In his speech, the minister referred to this year’s World Health Organisation (WHO) focus on Tobacco-Free Youth.
“Globally, more smokers start smoking before the age of 18. Almost 25 per cent of them start trying and experimenting with smoking before the age of 10. The earlier children and teenagers start smoking, the more likely they are to become smokers and the less likely they are to quit. Starting to smoke younger than age 15 on average reduces eight years off a person’s life, while starting to smoke over the age of 25 takes off four years,” he said.
According to scientific evidence, men who smoked were 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers and women smokers were 13 more likely than non-smokers, the minister said.
“But for those who are exposed to passive smoke, the danger of developing lung cancer is 20 to 30 per cent higher than for non-smokers. Some estimates suggest that 79,000 of all EU deaths are due to passive smoking,” he said.
As part of World No Tobacco Day, the WHO encouraged member states to take drastic measures to stop children and youth from taking up smoking.
Patsallides said measures to dissuade youngsters from smoking included total bans on any form of direct or indirect tobacco advertising, including any type of sport sponsorships from the tobacco industry. He also said suggestions had been made to increase taxes on tobacco products and to promote smoke free areas.
Cypriot legislation was fully harmonised with European directives that banned all advertising on smoking as well as sponsorship from tobacco companies, he added.
Patsallides added that the ministry had plans to launch a series of new measures to combat smoking. These included the appointment of a National Committee on Tobacco Control, the appointment of a bi-ministerial committee responsible for implementing existing tobacco legislation and promoting amendments where necessary, Health Ministry participation in research programmes conducted by the Cyprus International Institute for the Environment and Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health, and supporting an awareness campaign regarding the public’s rights for a smoke free environment at home, in the workplace, in public and recreational areas.
“We believe a well informed citizen is in a position to make the right choices for a healthy lifestyle, free from the curses of a modern life such as smoking, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and bad nutrition. The state is committed to undertaking all the necessary steps so as to promote and environment free from smoke that our children can grow up in,” Patsallides said.
Health Ministry official Andri Aristotelous said the ministry was currently examining extending the smoking cessation programme to include the introduction of Champix, a new drug available in Cyprus since November.
She said 1,250 smokers had already taken part in the government programmes.
“In the 12 weeks of the programme, 55 to 60 per cent have managed to stop smoking,” she said.
Meanwhile of the 7,244 businesses inspected for no-smoking and smoking sections in 2007, the vast majority (7,058) had complied with the law, Health Services head George Giorgallas said.
He said 75 had ignored the law and 19 had been taken to court and fined a total €2,819.19.
Finally asked whether the government had plans to implement an all out smoking ban in all enclosed spaces, the permanent secretary said the issue was a political one.
