Belarus Launches Nationwide Anti-smoking Campaign  

Source from:  Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA) (by)  11/20/2013

The nationwide information and educational anti-smoking campaign is running in Belarus from 18 to 21 November, BelTA learned from the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus.

The campaign, which aims to raise the awareness of the Belarusians of the harmful effects of smoking, is dedicated to the World No Tobacco Day, which is annually celebrated every third Thursday of November.

The campaign provides for consultations of specialists, and information and educational activities on prevention of tobacco use in schools, such as "Spice: To Know to Avoid!" and "Smoking and cancer: prevention is better than cure!" organized by the national center of hygiene, epidemiology and public health, together with the Alexandrov research center of oncology and medical radiology and the Belarusian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education.

Regional healthcare institutions will arrange diagnostic events "Do not smoke", the youth events "Health is the Choice of a New Generation", and business game "Bad habits and health".
Grodno Oblast will organize a flash mob "Give yourself clean lungs", and Mogilev Oblast will offer psychological lessons with elements of games and art-therapy "Teens and tobacco. A dangerous acquaintance."

Today, tobacco is the most common and a proven carcinogen to humans. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, of which 43 are known carcinogens. In addition, tobacco smoke contains compounds that contribute to the buildup of carcinogens in the body, and also dozens of poisons, including nicotine, hydrocyanic acid, etc. Cigarette smoke contains radioactive substances: polonium, lead and bismuth.

Smoking causes chronic obstructive lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases and strokes. Smoking is linked with 12 forms of cancer in humans. According to the WHO, about 30% of all human tumors and cancer deaths in developed countries are related to smoking.

According to the sociological poll conducted in October of this year, 30.5% of the Belarusians are smokers (30.6% in 2010). Among men, the proportion of smokers is 46.8% (47.1% in 2010), women smokers account for 16.2% of the female population (17% in 2010). Enditem