BAN PUBLIC SMOKING
By Phillip Karugaba
WASHINGTON, DC
By Phillip Karugaba
WASHINGTON, DC
A study published online July 31 in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine provides new, strong evidence that laws banning smoking in workplaces and public places have a rapid and significant impact on health.
The study found that after Scotland implemented a comprehensive smoke-free law, there was a decrease of 17 percent in hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome, and 67 percent of the decrease was among non-smokers. This research adds to a growing body of scientific evidence that shows two things:
1) Secondhand smoke is a proven cause of serious disease and premature death.
2) Smoke-free air laws provide significant and immediate benefits to health. Public health authorities around the world have concluded that secondhand smoke has been proven to cause lung cancer, heart disease, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), low birth weight and serious respiratory conditions.
TEAN calls upon NEMA to take firm action to enforce the ban on smoking in public places and protect the health of the public. As the evidence suggests, a smoking ban can only help protect the health of Ugandan’s and ease the burden on an already stressed healthcare system.
A growing number of countries, regions and cities around the world (Kenya, France , Thailand , and Turkey , Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom and cities including Mexico City and Abuja) are adopting strong smoke-free laws.
Although Uganda passed a law banning smoking in public places in 2004, NEMA has taken little or no action at all to enforce the law and public compliance with in restaurants and office buildings has been largely voluntary.
'Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.' - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Phillip Karugaba
tean@globalink.org
The study found that after Scotland implemented a comprehensive smoke-free law, there was a decrease of 17 percent in hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome, and 67 percent of the decrease was among non-smokers. This research adds to a growing body of scientific evidence that shows two things:
1) Secondhand smoke is a proven cause of serious disease and premature death.
2) Smoke-free air laws provide significant and immediate benefits to health. Public health authorities around the world have concluded that secondhand smoke has been proven to cause lung cancer, heart disease, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), low birth weight and serious respiratory conditions.
TEAN calls upon NEMA to take firm action to enforce the ban on smoking in public places and protect the health of the public. As the evidence suggests, a smoking ban can only help protect the health of Ugandan’s and ease the burden on an already stressed healthcare system.
A growing number of countries, regions and cities around the world (Kenya, France , Thailand , and Turkey , Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom and cities including Mexico City and Abuja) are adopting strong smoke-free laws.
Although Uganda passed a law banning smoking in public places in 2004, NEMA has taken little or no action at all to enforce the law and public compliance with in restaurants and office buildings has been largely voluntary.
'Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.' - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Phillip Karugaba
tean@globalink.org
No comments:
Post a Comment