November 16-22, 2020 - Republican information and educational campaign on the prevention of smoking as a risk factor for cancer

Main/Media/News/November 16-22, 2020 - Republican information and educational campaign on the prevention of smoking as a risk factor for cancer

November 16-22, 2020 - Republican information and educational campaign on the prevention of smoking as a risk factor for cancer

18.11.2020

World No Smoking Day. Prevention of oncological diseases

November 19, 2020

Every year, at the initiative of the International Union against Cancer, on the third Thursday of November, the United Health Day “World No Smoking Day” is held. Prevention of oncological diseases. The Republican information and educational campaign on the prevention of smoking as a risk factor for cancer, initiated by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, timed to coincide with this day, will be held in our country from November 16 to November 22, 2020.

The purpose of the campaign is to prevent diseases, primarily oncological diseases, causally associated with tobacco smoking, to raise public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke, leading to addiction and a number of serious diseases, to form civil society support for measures aimed at protection of the population from the consequences of tobacco consumption.

As part of the campaign, it is planned to hold press conferences and on-line "round tables" on the prevention of smoking as a risk factor for the development of cancer with the involvement of representatives of healthcare organizations and public organizations. The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus initiated information and educational events in government bodies and their subordinate organizations on the prevention of consumption of tobacco and nicotine-containing non-tobacco products, oncological diseases, timed to coincide with the Day of Non-Smoking. Also, the heads of organizations and institutions within the framework of the campaign were invited to declare the territories of their organizations and institutions as zones free from smoking and the use of nicotine-containing non-tobacco products, to provide measures for moral and material incentives for employees who have given up smoking in favor of a healthy lifestyle.

Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of death and currently causes the death of one in ten adults worldwide, according to the WHO. In Belarus, according to the results of a study of behavioral and biological risk factors for the occurrence of non-communicable diseases among the population aged 18 to 69 years (STEPS-study), 29.6% of the population smokes. And although, thanks to the anti-tobacco measures carried out in our country, the number of tobacco users is decreasing (by 12% since 2001), the problem is still relevant.

Smoking as a risk factor for the development of cancer.

According to the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), today 30% of all cancer deaths are related to smoking. Halving tobacco use could save 170 million lives by 2050.

Smokers lose about 18 years of potential life, this is a huge social loss for our society. Tobacco smoke causes and exacerbates many diseases, affecting almost all organs. And products of tobacco origin, together with other carcinogens, are the main cause of oncological diseases. Smoking provokes the development of 18 forms of cancer in humans (cancer of the lung, esophagus, larynx and mouth, bladder, pancreas, kidney, stomach, breast, cervix, etc.). In addition to the high risk of various forms of malignant neoplasms, continued smoking negatively affects the conduct of special treatment in the event of these diseases. It has been established that in smoking patients, compared with non-smokers, life expectancy is reduced, the risk of recurrence or the occurrence of a second tumor increases, the effectiveness of treatment and quality of life decrease. Smoking cessation guarantees a reduction in morbidity.

Smoking causes significant harm to the health of the smoker. Unfortunately, not everyone understands that tobacco smoke is dangerous not only for the smoker, but also for those who are close to him. A significant portion of the population is still exposed to passive smoking. The air around a smoker contains more than 40 substances that may be involved in cancer in humans and animals. Children of smoking parents are especially affected. They are more prone to various respiratory tract infections than children whose parents do not smoke, there is information about an increased risk of developing lymphomas in such children. Therefore, limiting smoking in catering establishments and other public places is of particular importance.

Significant content of carcinogens in tobacco and products of its processing determines the close relationship between smoking and the development of cancer. It has been established that the risk of getting cancer is significantly (almost 30 times) higher in heavy smokers and those who start smoking early. Cancer mortality also increases in parallel with cigarette consumption. The risk index associated with smoking is different for tumors of different sites and depends on the age at the time of the start of smoking, the duration of smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer in smokers is 2-3 times higher than in non-smokers and 10 times higher in those who smoke more than one pack of cigarettes per day. The risk of developing cancer of the larynx and lung in smokers is very high. As a rule, the development of lung cancer requires a time period of 10 to 30 years of smoking. However, the risk of lung cancer increases by 3-4 times when smoking more than 25 cigarettes per day. The results of American researchers pointed to the important role of age at the time of the start of smoking. The highest risk of lung cancer was noted in men who started smoking before the age of 15. The risk of esophageal cancer is 5 times higher in smokers compared to non-smokers, and the risk of stomach cancer is 1.5 times higher. Smoking is one of the causes of pancreatic cancer, and the risk of cancer in smokers is increased by 2-3 times. An increased risk of developing liver cancer in smokers has been identified, especially in combination with alcohol consumption or in those infected with hepatitis B and C viruses. The risk of bladder and kidney cancer among smokers is increased by 5-6 times. An association has been found between smoking and cervical cancer in women infected with the human papillomavirus.

At the same time, it is extremely important that smoking cessation reduces the risk of lung cancer: after 5 years, the incidence of such incidence begins to fall, and 20 years after cessation, it approaches that of non-smokers. According to the World Health Organization, smoking today causes about 40% of the total mortality of the population and is regarded as the main cause of premature death that can be avoided. Many of the world's leading oncologists have come to the conclusion that the victory over smoking will be the key to significant success in the fight against malignant tumors, in particular, it will reduce the incidence of lung cancer by at least 30%. It is necessary to know and remember that smokers cause significant damage not only to their own health, but also to the health of others, making them passive smokers. American and Japanese scientists have calculated that being in a smoky room during the working day of a non-smoker exposes him to the same risk of disease as a person who smoked 5 cigarettes a day. It is also known that the wives of active smokers die an average of 4 years earlier than the wives of non-smokers. Not only smoking is categorically contraindicated for pregnant women, but also staying in smoky rooms due to the established high sensitivity of the fetus to carcinogens and other chemical influences and, as a result, a high risk of developing malignant tumors and deformities in children.

From what has been said, it is obvious that the main measure to prevent the harmful effects of smoking on the body is to completely stop smoking and avoid prolonged contact with smokers. For those who already smoke, a whole system of measures has been developed to give up this bad habit. However, it must be emphasized that success in the fight against smoking will be guaranteed only if smokers themselves come to a conscious desire to quit smoking.

Tobacco contains nicotine, a substance that causes addiction and is characterized by an obsessive, irresistible craving for its consumption. NICOTINE is an alkaloid found in tobacco (up to 2%) and some other plants. When smoking, tobacco is absorbed into the body. A strong poison, in small doses it has an exciting effect on the nervous system, in large doses it causes its paralysis (stop breathing, cessation of cardiac activity). Repeated absorption of nicotine in small doses while smoking causes nicotinism. The composition of tobacco smoke, in addition to nicotine, includes several dozen toxic and carcinogenic substances. Some of them are contained in the tobacco leaf, others are formed during its processing and combustion. Most carcinogenic and mutagenic substances are contained in the particulate matter of tobacco smoke (tar), which is retained by the filter. The content of tar and nicotine in tobacco smoke can be different and depends on the type of cigarette, filter, type of tobacco and its processing, quality of cigarette paper. Most countries have introduced regulations for nicotine and tar content. For tar, these standards vary from 10-15 mg / sig, and for nicotine - 1-1.3 mg / sig.

There is no safe cigarette and no safe level of smoking. Quitting smoking remains the single most effective way to reduce health risks.

Quitting smoking at any age is justified because:

·       after 8 hours, the level of oxygen in the blood returns to normal;

·       after 48 hours, a person acquires a sense of smell and taste;

·       after 1 month it becomes easier to breathe, fatigue, headache disappear;

·       after 6 months, bronchitis disappears, the heart rhythm is restored;

·       after 1 year, the possibility of dying from coronary heart disease is halved;

·       after 5 years, the probability of getting cancer is reduced by 2 times.

World experience shows that it is possible to achieve a significant reduction in the prevalence of tobacco smoking only with clear legislative regulation and long-term anti-tobacco programs.

The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus conducts constant purposeful work to prevent the consumption of tobacco products and diseases caused by smoking. These are legislative initiatives, and information and educational work with the population, and assistance in quitting smoking. Thus, a number of activities are being implemented in the country, covering various aspects of anti-tobacco activities, carried out in the development of the WHO FCTC and as part of the implementation of the state program "Health of the people and demographic security of the Republic of Belarus" for 2016-2020.

Currently, active work is being carried out in our country within the framework of the European strategy for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. The goal is to reduce the impact of all major risk factors for non-communicable diseases, one of which is smoking. The target is to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use among people aged 18 to 69 to 24.5 percent. This goal can be achieved through the implementation of a set of measures, taking into account international experience and the recommendations of the WHO FCTC.

The material was prepared by specialists of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Oncology and Medical Radiology named after N.N. N.N.Aleksandrov” and State Institution “Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health”.

You can also find informational and educational materials on the topic of the action:

Back to list