Thursday 19 November 2009

First cigarette, most smokers try in the third grade

In Russia, smoking more than 60% of the population, with children trying to have your first cigarette in the third grade, told RIA Novosti Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Pulmonology FMBA Russia, expert of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco in Russia, Nikolai Antonov, the eve of International day of non-smoking , celebrated worldwide on 19 November.
Smokers in Russia - most
According to WHO, in the world 90% of deaths from lung cancer, 75% - from chronic bronchitis and 25% - from coronary heart disease attributable to smoking. Every ten seconds on the planet is dying, one a chain smoker, in 2020, this level could rise to one person for three seconds.
"Our country is considered one of the most smokers in the world, because if more than 50% of the population smokes, this country are among the countries with high prevalence of smoking. We smoked more than 60% ", - said Anton.
On the day of cessation of smoking, millions of smokers volunteered for one day or more refuse smoking. In Russia, International Non-Smoking Day "held since 1992. Became noticeably more active work for the day of quitting in the past two years.
According to Antonov, according to different regions of Russia among the male population of smokers is 70% -75%, the prevalence of smoking among women is slightly smaller - 35% -40%.
Cigarettes began to attract women and children
According to the expert, in those countries where there is an active struggle against smoking among the male population decreased the number of smokers. Therefore, companies that produce cigarettes, make ads targeted at women and teenage segment of the population and thus there is increasing number of smokers among these populations.
"These beautiful thin cigarettes, active work with the younger generation, lead to the fact that in recent years dramatically increases the prevalence of smoking among women and among the kids," - said Anton.
According to him, his first children try a cigarette in 10 years, or in third grade, and by the end of the school about 30% of boys are regular smokers.
"It is believed that 50% -55% by the end of the school kids have tried a cigarette", - said the expert.
Smokers live on less than 10-15 years
According to Antonov, the life expectancy for heavy smokers is reduced by at least 10-15 years. Plus, all smokers suffer from chronic lung diseases.
"Smoking is a risk factor for more than 15 various cancers, it is the cause of bronchopulmonary disease pathologies, cardiovascular, endocrinology. And death, of course, increases and decreases life expectancy of these people have at least 10-15 years ", - he stressed.
Antonov does not recommend heavy smokers, who have high nicotine dependence, throwing smoke themselves, but only under medical supervision. He believes that the negative aspect of smoking cessation in the future is fixed in the memory of these people, and repeated attempts, are generally not very successful.
"Giving up smoking - is a process. Not necessarily the one attempt to quit, there may be two or three, "- said the expert.
Antonov believes that to date not some only correct and effective method of treatment, which is 100% delivered man from tobacco dependence.
"Unfortunately, this is a fairly complex problem and the effectiveness of smoking cessation depends on the skills of the doctors, from the treatments, ranging from 30% to 60% -70%", - concluded the expert.
Socially Responsible Tobacco
In turn, many tobacco companies prefer not to comment on the issue of smoking directly, saying that all the major manufacturers there are social programs, including those designed to combat teenage smoking. This is reflected, for example, to support the activities of public organizations, which focus on the problem of tobacco smoking.
Manufacturers inform vendors about the legal aspects and legal restrictions that exist in the trade of their products, told RIA Novosti in Russian offices of Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco International (JTI). In addition, the company provides retail case-visual materials, which are placed in retail outlets where tobacco products are realized. For example, a label, informing them of the prohibition of cigarette sales to citizens under 18 years.
As told RIA Novosti's director of corporate affairs of affiliated companies of Philip Morris International in Russia Alexei Kim, Philip Morris, for example, voluntarily inflicts on cigarette packaging information on the sale of cigarettes to minors is prohibited.
"We are convinced that the only adult in a position to make an informed decision in favor or against smoking", - said Kim.

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