Should tobacco products be banned?
Organisation calls for the banning of tobacco products designed to attract and addict children and teenagers to smoking.
Many of us have been exposed to the harmful effects of tobacco, either through smoking or being near someone who is smoking.
An estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide use tobacco products, according to the World Health Organization.
The organisation adds that 'every year, more than 8 million people die from tobacco use'.
Many people start to smoke during the adolescent age due to curiosity or social influence. Many teens see smoking as something cool to engage in.
Despite the risks associated with tobacco use, millions of people around the world continue to use tobacco products.
Since 1996, the Take Down Tobacco Day organisation has chosen 1 April as a day to focus intensely on advocating for the end of tobacco use, especially amongst young people and children.
READ: WHO: More children using e-cigarettes than adults
The organisation focus on three key things:
- Supporting and educating the masses about the impact of tobacco use, training, and mentorship to help young people become advocates and expose the insidious and deceptive nature of the tobacco industry.
- Taking action by advocating for strong, proven policies to reduce and prevent tobacco use, supporting elected officials who fight to protect kids from tobacco addiction and standing up and speaking out against the tobacco industry and its allies.
- Building a movement and fighting together for a healthier, more equitable future.
The organisation says tobacco companies are 'aggressively marketing deadly and addictive products' and 'developing new products to hook kids, using fun flavours and massive doses of nicotine'. They believe this must stop to save the lives of young people.
A 2023 report by the Tobacco Free Kids organisation states that 'among adults (age 15+), 29.4% of South Africans are current tobacco users, including 41.7% of men and 17.9% of women' and 'among youth (ages 13-15), 21.5% are current tobacco users (boys 24.3%; girls 19.0%)'.
READ: Report: 1.3-million non-smokers die annually due to tobacco
Image courtesy of iStock/ @Funtay
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
- Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
- Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606.
- Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
Follow us on social media: