By Ngewie Azeh
The African Center for Advocacy (ACA) has visited Baptist Comprehensive High School - Nkwen, as part of the institutions' activity to commemorate this year's World No-Tobacco day. The visit on May 26th, 2023 gave ACA an opportunity to share with over 160 male and female students from Form 5 and Uppersixth of both the Commercial and Grammar sections of the school on issues relating to tobacco consumption.
"World No-Tobacco day, we were inspired by the fact that the young ones will soon be going to university and need to know that tobacco is bad for their health, especially in an area where everyone is allowed to as they please. For the follow up, we will continue to visit other schools subsequently and keep sensitizing them." ACA said in a statement
Accompanying the ACA delegation was a health professional who used the meeting with the students to explain the health impact of tobacco consumption. Che John noted that lungs damage is one of the major effect of smoking on the human body. While mentioning stroke, heart diseases, diabetes, Tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis as potential effects of smoking, he noted that smoking also affects people who find themselves around smokers generally known as second-hand smokers. He added that has led to thousands of adult deaths and hundreds of infant around the world.
Che John alongside other volunteers advised that smokers who want quit should sick medical attention or therapy for follow up, and other tips which can keep them busy hence lessen their smoking rate. Nurse Chia John strongly advised that the students stay off smoking, eat healthy foods and fruits in order to preserve their health.
Writing material and stickers were distributed to the students, with No-Tobacco messages on them.
World No Tobacco day is observed annually on May 31. The 2023 observance has been been with the theme; We need food, not tobacco.