Smoking Addiction in Namibia

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, says his ministry is prepared to fight against entities that want to derail the implementation of the legislation on tobacco control in the country. Speaking in Rundu last week during the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day, Kamwi said many Namibians continue to become dependent on the harmful substance. A survey conducted by the health ministry in 2009, shockingly revealed that 17 percent of school-going children between the ages of 10 and 12 had experienced smoking. This year’s theme for World No Tobacco day was ‘‘Tobacco industry interference’ - with a slogan, ‘Tobacco industry tactics to undermine tobacco control must be exposed and resisted.’

SGA Supports Student Smoking Area

During last night’s meeting, Georgia Southern University’s Student Government Association voted to stand in favor of the majority vote of the staff and students for limited tobacco use on campus. SGA stands in favor of the majority vote of the staff and students, Patrice Buckner, Dean of Students, said. The survey was distributed to students in fall of 2011. The results of the survey show that 46 percent of students and staff voted to “limit tobacco use on campus and create tobacco friendly zones,” 29 percent of students and faculty voted to “create a tobacco free campus,” and 26 percent of students and staff voted to “maintain current tobacco policy.”

Cigarettes Tax, Sri Lankan Government

While the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse continues to squeeze the wages and living conditions of Sri Lankan workers and the poor, the banks and major corporations and their CEOs are reaping large profits and salary remunerations. On May 4, the government, in line with austerity measures dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), increased the price of imported powdered milk, cooking gas and cement by about 25, 16 and 10 percent, respectively. The rises followed last month’s 10 percent lift in the price of flour, which is the main staple of Sri Lanka’s poor, especially plantation workers. Taxes on alcohol, cigarettes and all imported vehicles were also raised on March 31.

Smokers Should Eat More Fishes

If you’re a smoker, a new study suggests adding more fish to your diet. While the best way to protect yourself from the harmful effects of smoking is to quit, researchers from Greece have found that omega-3 fatty acids can help repair arteries damaged by the unhealthy habit. Presented at the World Congress of Cardiology in Dubai Friday, scientists showed that short-term treatment with omega-3 fatty acids was able to improve arterial stiffness and moderate acute impairment of vascular elastic properties in smokers -- both markers of cardiovascular risk.

Cigarettes Packaging Should be Plain

“Fancy,” “posh” and “pretty” – these are all words used by children in Cancer Research UK’s new video to describe a selection of current cigarette packets. Looking at one of the packs, a little boy says: “I think it would be quite fun to play with. It makes you almost happy looking at it.” For most of us the idea that children are attracted to these deadly products is simply shocking. Cancer Research UK statistics show that more than 4,000 people died of lung cancer in Scotland in 2010. This risk of developing this devastating disease increases significantly in smokers and is just one of the cancers that can be the consequence of an addiction that is promoted to women as being glamorous and to men as offering maturity and popularity. There is much we can do to prevent a new generation of children from starting to smoke in the first place.