Smoking or cigarette consumption causes different diseases, however, the most common is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, known as COPD, which refers to the group of diseases that lead to obstruction of air circulation and cause problems related to breathing.
Among these diseases are emphysema, chronic bronchitis and, in some cases, asthma. Also there is bladder and lung cancer which can be caused by cigarette smoking.
These diseases can be prevented by not smoking. For this reason, on this May 31st, when the International Day Against Tobacco, Pan American Health Organization advances a campaign that calls on governments to plant more food and less tobacco.
This campaign aims to encourage governments to end subsidies for tobacco growing and use the resources saved to help farmers to switch to more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition.
They also highlight that nations must mobilize to raise awareness among communities dedicated to tobacco cultivation about the advantages of abandoning it and dedicating themselves to sustainable crops; support the fight against desertification and the degradation of the environment through the reduction of cultivation of tobacco, and denounce the maneuvers of the industry to hinder the work oriented towards sustainable livelihoods.
Regarding the department of Cesar, the Secretary of Departmental Health, Guillermo Girón, indicated that from this entity they are advancing campaigns against smoking and all addictive substances and even alcohol that include collective actions.
Therefore, through public IPS, a publicity display is made to counteract these addictions.
“The campaigns that the Government has carried out are questioned because smoking continues to grow, although today smoking as such is being reached for vaping and we are looking for the way how we counteract vaping, which is modernity and there is no awareness about itthe official said.
He stressed that smoking is related to one type of lung cancer, but not all, so it cannot be said that this addiction directly causes cancer.
“Cigarettes are bad because they destroy the lungs and produce chronic obstructive disease that causes pulmonary incapacity and affects the whole body. When lighting a cigarette and burning there are more than 6,000 printed substances that are harmful to healthGiron said.
In Colombia for the year 2020, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, in the country there was a decrease in tobacco consumption from 12.9% in 2013 to 9.8% in 2019.
TOBACCO CONSUMPTION IN THE COUNTRY
82% of people in Colombia do not smoke. Despite this 34,800 people die for diseases attributable to tobacco use.
Of the 21,765 deaths, 3,076 They are caused by cancers of the trachea, bronchus, and lung.
8,595 deaths caused by ischemic heart disease are attributable to tobacco use.
4,337 deaths caused for cerebrovascular diseases are attributable to tobacco use.
4,584 deaths caused by chronic lower respiratory tract diseases are attributable to tobacco use.
According to the National Survey of Psychoactive Substances in Schoolchildren (2011), the current prevalence of tobacco use in young people between the ages of 11 and 18 is 9.78%, men 11.86% and women 7.85%. By age groups, young people between 16 and 18 years of age are the largest consumers (17.36%).