Over 6,700 Ghanaians Die From Tobacco-Related Illnesses Every Year- Tobacco Atlas
Tobacco Atlas, a global information index that undertakes statistics on the effects of tobacco on individuals says more than 6,700 Ghanaians die every year due to tobacco-related illnesses of which sixty-six (66%) of these deaths are individuals under age 70.
This information was divulged in a statement released by the Ministry of Health(MoH) on May 30, 2023, to highlight the effect of tobacco on individuals as the world mark World No Tobacco Day(WNTD) today May 31, 2023.
The Ministry of Health(MoH) in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority(FDA), World Health Organization (WHO), Vision for Alternative Development(VALD), and other Civil Society Organizations has called on Heads of State to assist in fighting against the production of tobacco and focus on the growth of sustainable food crops.
World No Tobacco Day(WNTD) is commemorated around the World every year to emphasize the harmful effects of tobacco products on people’s health.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “We Need Food, Not Tobacco”.
A statement, released by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, indicated that “The WHO estimates that tobacco is grown as a cash crop on an estimated 4 million hectares of land in more than 125 countries, clearing an estimated 200, 000 hectares of forest each year in the process”.
The statement continued to highlight that tobacco is grown on a small amount of arable land that could be used to grow more food crops.
“Due to the increased likelihood of desertification in tobacco farmlands, this practice has resulted in the death of thousands of trees and had a much worse impact on ecosystems. According to the Tobacco Atlas, more than 6,700 Ghanaians die every year due to tobacco-related illnesses of which sixty-six (66%) of these deaths are individuals under age 70”.
Moreover, about 18% of Ghanaian lives are lost from exposure to secondhand smoke. Tobacco-related illness accounts for 3% of all deaths in the country.
Find The Full Statement From MoH On World No Tobacco Day(WNTD) Below