Community members educated on tobacco effects

School children and community leaders of Nima East in Accra were on Thursday educated on the harmful effects of tobacco and Indian hemp smoking.

The programme was organized by Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), with the support from the Norwegian Cancer Society.

Madam Abiba Sulemana, member of the Community Health Support Team of VALD, who educated the gathering on the effects of smoking, mentioned lung, oral, and neck cancers, and heart diseases as some of the effects.

She said smoking of cigarette and Indian hemp brought heavy economic toll on society since monies to be used to carter for the education of children and other needs went into treatment of sicknesses.

Madam Marvi Colerangle of the School Health Education Programme, called on parents to be vigilant about the movement and activities of their children to prevent them from engaging in illicit activities.

She asked the school children to concentrate on their books so as to grow into responsible adults.

Mr Issah Ali, Executive Director of VALD, who educated the people on the Public Health Act, 2012, (Act 851), said anybody found smoking in public should be reported to the police.

He appealed to Ghanaians to help kill the tobacco industry by avoiding their products.

He asked the school pupils not to attempt practicing the habit of smoking because it would be difficult to stop once they were hooked to the nicotine substance.

Source: GNA