Select Page

Quit smoking, before smoking burns you out – Cancer Association

Quit smoking, before smoking burns you out – Cancer Association

The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) urged the nation to take care this month and dedicate all efforts to making their lungs and lives healthier with World No Tobacco Day around the corner.

The day which will be commemorated on31 May will run under the theme ‘Healthy Lungs-Healthy Living’.

According to statistics CAN noted that from the more prominent types of cancer types recorded, 15% of patients admitted they are smokers and in male and female breast cancer cases, 25% of patients admitted they were smokers.

“And 39% of lung cancer patients confirmed they never smoked, thus this information indicates that smoking/tobacco products are indeed contributing factors on average when it comes to cancer,” CAN added.

In their message CAN confirmed that lung cancer is one of the cancer types with the highest fatality rate amongst both men and women in Namibia and worldwide, with the main cause being tobacco use and second hand smoke increases the risk as well.

The Association said apart from lung cancer serious other health risks are associated with smoking, it damages your heart and your blood circulation, increasing your risk of developing conditions such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and cerebrovascular disease.

“Attributes from smoking also include ugly yellow and tooth decay, yellow fingers, smelly hair, wrinkly skin and even erectile dysfunction, high cholesterol, anxiety and poor vision and even recurring colds and flu are all stimulated by tobacco and nicotine use,” the Association concluded.


 

About The Author

Mandisa Rasmeni

Mandisa Rasmeni has worked as reporter at the Economist for the past five years, first on the entertainment beat but now focussing more on community, social and health reporting. She is a born writer and she believes education is the greatest equalizer. She received her degree in Journalism at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in June 2021. . She is the epitome of perseverance, having started as the newspaper's receptionist in 2013.