Belize joined the rest of the world today in observing World No Tobacco Day under the theme, "Tobacco Breaks Hearts". The World Health Organization says that between the year 2000 up until last year, the amount of cigarette and tobacco smokers has decreased from 27% of the world's population to about 20%.
Health professionals view the change as an improvement, but that number is still too high, especially because an estimated 7 million people die annually from tobacco related illnesses, such as the different forms of cancers associated with prolonged use.
Here at home, the Ministry of Health Officials, and those from the National Drug Abuse Control Council, teamed up with the PAHO/WHO office in Belize for a special ceremony and activities. Those were held at NDACC's (N-DAK's) Amara Avenue Office IN BELIZE City. Here's what the main speakers had to say about tobacco usage in Belize:
Organizers stress that apart from causing different forms of cancers and lung disease, tobacco also causes heart disease and stroke, which are the world's leading killers.
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