Citywide survey demonstrates shocking teenage smoking rates in Ghana
According to the survey completed by the Ghana Ministry of Health Service (GMHS), 15 percent of almost 1000 teenagers, studying in three secondary schools located in Accra, the capital of Ghana, light up regularly.
Mr. James Stapleton, Leading Health Researcher of GMHS stated that although the current smoking rates have not been so enormous. However, the scientists are concerned with the fact that those rates have been growing constantly and, therefore, they seek the government to implement more rigorous smoking restriction policies to prevent teenagers from getting hooked to cigarettes.
While addressing the speech on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day celebrations in Accra, Dr. Stapleton declared that restrictive measures were vital since minors who used to smoke during adolescence were exposed to the risk of many hazardous effects of the tobacco and were easier to become addicted to nicotine after a while.
The World No Tobacco Day was sponsored by Coalition for Tobacco Control, a group of Non-governmental Organisations advocating for reducing tobacco consumption in Ghana. The organizers admit the aim of the event was to make people aware of the dangers of tobacco consumption both for the individuals who smoke and for the surrounding people who are exposed to secondhand smoke, and also to introduce Accra residents and guests to the tobacco control legislation that is supposed to be approved in the beginning of next year.
Mr. Stapleton said they held special classes for teaches who currently visit schools across the county and educate pupils of the risks of smoking and as well have initiated several public campaigns aimed at raisin public awareness of health complications related to smoking.
The scientist also said the GMHS joined forces with other Health related state agencies in order to elaborate measures to reduce tobacco consumption.
The collaboration of public health organization has been rather successful as they created a bill that was sent to the government for consideration and approval.
In case it is approved, the bill would prohibit smoking in all public enclosed places in order to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke.
The law as well prohibits selling cigarettes to children under 18 in order to reduce child smoking rates.
The President of Coalition for Tobacco Control, Mrs. Gwen Truce urged the lawmakers to approve the latter bill as soon as possible in order to reduce the rates of smokers in the country and reduce the number of health related illnesses.
She stated non-smokers who breathed in the cigarette smoke were exposed to a higher risk than the smokers since those who smoke; breathe out almost 85 percent of hazardous which is inhaled by innocent people.
She cited Health Ministry statistics showing that in several decades, lung diseases that were not frequent, had become one of the leading illnesses nowadays because of exposure to smoke.
Prof. Bella Mubongo from the University of Ghana advised the teenagers to avoid smoking or consuming tobacco by other means and also stay away from people who would attempt to persuade them to try cigarettes, as it would result in addiction and cause severe health complications
