Tobacco use increases likelihood of many illnesses – Dr Ambrose

Persons in society should make an effort to educate themselves about the effects, consequences and responsibilities that are associated with smoking tobacco and other products.

Using World No Tobacco Day as its platform,{{more}} the SVG Medical Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment and the Pan American World Health Organization (PAHO), hosted an open forum last Thursday to bring awareness to these particular issues.

In her welcome remarks, SVG Medical Association president, Dr Rosalind Ambrose reflected on the origins and introduction of tobacco on the global scale.

“It quickly became popular and an important trade crop. Medical research made it clear during the 1900s that tobacco use increased the likelihood of many illnesses, including heart attacks, strokes, lung disease, emphysema, many forms of cancer and impotence. This is true for all the ways in which tobacco is used,” Ambrose said.

This year, the SVG Medical Association, which has won awards in the past for their various initiatives carried out for World No Tobacco Day, is stressing the theme of “no smoking.”

Presenters at the inaugural lecture included Dr Conrad Nedd, Dr Jamil Ibrahim, Dr Amrie Morris, Counsel Mikhail Charles and Dr Jozelle Miller.

The speakers addressed the topics: “Clinical signs and pathology of smoking,” “Secondhand smoke exposure: what it means to you,” “Smoking and mental health,” “Smoking, is there a legal right” and “Psycholo­gical strategies to quit smoking.”

Through their awareness activities, the medical association has developed a public service announcement that premiered on Thursday, during the open forum. A series of articles (one each week) is being published in SEARCHLIGHT and a billboard that will “speak loudly to everyone,” is expected to be mounted in Sally Spring Gardens.

World No Tobacco Day is observed worldwide on May 31.(BK)