World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day on 31 May is an annual movement where the public and healthcare community join together to call for national and global action to reduce tobacco use.

The theme for this year’s movement is “Tobacco and Lung Health”.
We have a responsibility to use our voice and influence to support this movement and encourage fellow Namibians to rather quit smoking and live a healthier life.
In Namibia an average of 3 600 new cancer cases are registered with the Namibia National Cancer Registry, while another almost one thousand cases are counted but not actively reported by healthcare providers and/or patients.
From this number, 88 new lung cancer cases were recorded in 2016, while the majority of cancers in Namibia are in fact “life-style related” and the patient has been exposed to some form of tobacco use, during their lifetime as well.
All cancer:
2014 – 3 376
2015 – 3 602
2016 – 3 633
Lung cancer:
2014 – 73
2015 – 85
2016 – 88
Rolf Hansen, Chief Executive Officer of CAN: “We are committed to reducing the physical, emotional and economic burden of cancer in Namibia. Cancer kills people in their most productive years and costs enormous amounts of money to treat. While effective diagnosis, treatment and support for cancer patients are critical, it’s also essential to prevent cancer where possible. Tobacco is a leading cause of preventable cancers and there are tools – particularly higher taxes that can be levied on tobacco products – that are proven to reduce tobacco use.”
Why we need to act:
Twenty percent of cancer deaths worldwide are related to tobacco. Smoking tobacco is the primary cause of lung cancer cases and responsible for more than two thirds of lung cancer deaths globally.
Smokers aren’t the only victims: second-hand smoke exposure at home or in the workplace also increases risk of lung cancer. In countries with high rates of smoking prevalence among men and low rates among women, a growing number of women develop lung cancer related to second-hand smoke exposure.
Protecting non-smokers from second-hand smoke and stopping youth from starting to smoke reduces their tobacco-related cancer risk. A smoker who quits also reduces their risk: after 10 years, risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a current smoker.
And this is before we consider the vast range of other cancers and disease conditions like cardio-vascular disease proven to be caused by tobacco.
Every cancer organisation should join this global moment and support World No Tobacco Day, cal-ling for high tobacco taxes to reduce tobacco use and tobacco-related cancer.
Together the community can accelerate national and global efforts to reduce tobacco-related deaths.