KUWAIT CITY, Oct 27: Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi emphasized on Sunday that the State of Kuwait is working diligently, in close collaboration with civil society organizations, to combat the deadly epidemic of smoking. This effort is part of a comprehensive strategy focused on combating, preventing, and treating tobacco use. His remarks were delivered during the opening speech at the International Conference on Tobacco Control, themed “Smoking Scourge and Conflict of Interest,” organized by the Kuwait Society for Combating Smoking and Cancer in partnership with the National Program for Combating Smoking at the Ministry of Health. The conference will take place over two days.

Dr. Al-Awadhi noted that tobacco represents one of the most significant health threats globally, with statistics indicating that over a billion people worldwide use tobacco. The smoking epidemic leads to the deaths of more than a million individuals each year. He highlighted that tobacco contains toxic chemicals, such as nicotine and cyanide, which harm the human body over time. Smoking significantly increases the risk of serious health issues, including heart disease, stroke, lung damage, and various types of cancer.

He pointed out that the World Health Organization has recognized the detrimental economic impacts of the tobacco industry, particularly in developing countries that suffer substantial economic and health losses due to the importation or manufacture of tobacco products. Dr. Al-Awadhi stressed the importance of countries enacting strict legislation to prohibit smoking in various facilities. He also emphasized the critical role of audio, print, and visual media in educating the public about the dangers of smoking and its negative effects on health and society.

The Minister commended the Kuwait Society for Combating Smoking and Cancer for its efforts to safeguard public health policies from the tobacco industry's influence and counter campaigns that promote tobacco use. He remarked that the conference aims to shed light on the tobacco epidemic as one of the most perilous social issues threatening millions of lives globally.

In his address, Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Society for Combating Smoking and Cancer, underscored the need for serious and dedicated efforts to protect society, particularly youth, from the dangers posed by the tobacco industry, which increasingly targets them. He highlighted the industry's growing influence on the economies of developing countries.

Dr. Al-Saleh explained that confronting the tobacco industry and its promotional activities is essential to mitigate the harm it causes, particularly given the significant financial burdens governments face in providing treatment for smoking-related diseases, especially chronic conditions like cancer. He also noted the environmental damage caused by tobacco cultivation, which leads to social and economic repercussions, emphasizing the necessity of unifying efforts to address the alarming reality of approximately 1.1 billion tobacco smokers aged 15 and older, with 80 percent residing in low- and middle-income countries.

He cited statistics indicating that about 10 percent of individuals aged 13 to 15 worldwide use tobacco, including 12 million teenagers who use new tobacco products—figures likely underreported due to the lack of data in over 70 countries. Dr. Al-Saleh cautioned that electronic cigarettes, which contain nicotine and are harmful to health, are rapidly spreading among various demographic groups, particularly youth and women.

He concluded that establishing national programs to combat smoking is an indicator of government agencies' commitment to addressing the smoking epidemic and reducing its health, environmental, and economic impacts. Such initiatives can foster collaboration with relevant authorities to develop and implement effective policies against the tobacco economy. (KUNA)