A total of 23 per cent of the Maltese adult population smokes and some 17 per cent of under 15 year olds also indulge in the habit, according to information given at a news conference organised by Help – For a Life Without Tobacco.
Dr Anna Buttigieg also spoke about a Europe-wide drive to measure the amount of carbon monoxide in people’s systems, whether smokers or not, as part of the Help-Comets Study. The operation is based on enabling citizens to measure their tobacco related carbon-monoxide rates and provides an interactive and entertaining method of allowing people to come to a personal realisation of the effect on their health. The campaign is in operation throughout all of Europe.
Results for Malta showed that smokers averaged a CO level of 22.8 per cent while non-smokers averaged 6.2 per cent, which is only just short of the maximum air quality level of 8.5 per cent.
Latest figures showed that 244 men and 51 women died of smoking related illnesses in one given year – a total of 10 per cent of all deaths. The doctors on the panel, including Dr Charmaine Gauci, said that women were even more susceptible to developing smoking related illnesses and the growth of illness rates for both men and women was exponential when the number of cigarettes smoked per day increased.
The Help-Comets study confirmed that a total smoking ban is linked to a two-fold decrease of pollution in non-smokers, and that all European countries “have to promote total smoking ban legislation” in order to effectively protect the health of non-smokers, to decrease indoor air pollution and to improve air quality.
The study also found that raising the price of tobacco products will decrease pollution caused by tobacco smoke in order to protect smokers and non-smokers. The study also found that the carbon monoxide rate in expired air from smokers that smoke only one to five cigarettes a day is higher than the maximum level accepted for air quality. The CO measurement campaign will be continued and intensified, starting with a winter tour this December. All year round, the Help tent will be present at major events and in summer will hit popular beaches and resorts.
The Health Department also offers various other support initiatives to help people kick the habit, such as the Quit and Win competition, the Quitline, seminars, workplace visits, posters and leaflets. In short, the message is “smoking is very bad for you, shortens your life and you should never take up the habit”.