A Kaduna based NGO, The Eye-Opener Youth and Women Foundation, says it has begun a house-to-house campaign and using social media platforms to sensitise the youth against the use of tobacco across the states in the North.
Mrs Margaret Julius, the founder, told journalists on Saturday in Kaduna that in spite of the COVID-19 lockdown, the foundation would try to reach as many households as possible during the campaign which would run throughout June.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign is ahead of the World No Tobacco Day, marked on May 31, every year.
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She said that the aim was to raise more awareness of the dangers of tobacco to human health, in order to reduce the number of deaths among youth and teenagers across the country.
Julius said millions of people die annually as a result of diseases associated with tobacco smoking across the world.
According to her, the World Health Organization 2020 report has indicated that tobacco kills more than eight million people each year and more are affected by various cancer problems.
She stressed that smoking not only caused cancer, but also damaged nearly every organ in the body, including the lungs, heart, blood vessels, reproductive organs, mouth, skin, eyes, and bones.
Julius noted that teenage cigarette smokers were more likely to get into fights, carry weapons, attempt suicide, suffer mental health problems such as depression, and engage in high-risk sexual behaviours.
“This doesn’t necessarily mean that tobacco use caused these behaviours, but they’re more common in teens who use tobacco nowadays.
“The teenagers and youths of nowadays used the new method of smoking using decorated Pot Called Shisha which enabled them to ton mixed cigarette and other traditional leaves to make them feel okay.”
She also said that the campaign was also to draw the attention of second-hand smokers on the dangers they expose themselves to living with people who smoke.
“Smoking tobacco affects human health in many ways which include, increased risk of gum disease and tooth loss, wounds taking longer to heal, decreased immune system function.
“Increased risk of type 2 diabetes, decreased sense of smell and taste, premature ageing of the skin, bad breath and stained teeth.
“Increased risk for cataracts, higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, increased risk for age-related macular degeneration, which can cause blindness.
“Smoking damages the airways and small air sacs in smokers lungs. This damage starts early in smokers, and lung function continues to worsen as long as the person smokes.
“Still, it may take years for the problem to become noticeable enough for lung disease to be diagnosed.”
Meanwhile, the Director, African Climate Reporters, Nurudden Bello, has called for a total ban on smoking in playgrounds, park, markets, stadium and other public places in the country “to reduce the chances of children growing up thinking that using cigarettes is normal.”
He said that the ban would protect people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
According to him, researchers have indicated that teen tobacco users are more likely to use alcohol and illegal drugs than non-users, as such parents must monitor and advice their children properly.