DUSHANBE, 29.05.2019. (NIAT Khovar) – A press conference Tobacco and Lung Health dedicated to World No Tobacco Day was held yesterday at Khovar’s Republican Press Center.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan in collaboration with the Representative Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Tajikistan.

The First Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Tajikistan Saida Umarzoda, the head of the WHO Representative Office in Tajikistan Martha Everard, the Director of the Republican Center for the Healthy Lifestyle Parvina Mukhtorova, the head of the Department of Sanitary and Epidemiological Safety, Emergency Situations and Emergency Medical Care Suhrob Vohidov, and the Chief Specialist of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of Tajikistan Hokimakhon Ahmedova along with the media representatives attended the event.

Opening the event, Umarzoda spoke about tobacco’s detrimental effects.

Umarzoda also noted the contribution of the government of Tajikistan toward restricting tobacco use. On January 2, 2018, President Emomali Rahmon had signed the Law of Tajikistan «On the Restriction of the Use of Tobacco Products,» which the WHO welcomed, naming President Emomali Rahmon as a laureate of an award for his contribution toward tobacco control.

The relevant authorities of Tajikistan, including the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population, have done significant work to restrict tobacco consumption.

Smoking is one of the main causes of serious diseases, including cancer.

Nicotine has the ability to reduce arteries, which over time can lead to the destruction of certain veins. Likewise it has a negative effect on the circulatory  organs and causes coronary heart disease and increased pressure in the arteries.

WHO named tobacco as one of the main causes of mortality.

According to it, more than eight million people in the world die due to smoking-related diseases annually.

Industry experts have found that tobacco contains more than 4,OOO chemicals, of which 250 species are harmful and 50 types cause cancer.