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Catherine W Gichuki
Doha
Raising awareness of the dangers of smoking, a Kenyan group conducted several activities in May, the culmination of which was on May 31. On this day, the group, popularly known as the ‘Green Maasai’, joined the entire world in marking the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The day was marked by the World Health Organization (WHO) this year with the theme ‘Tobacco and lung health’.
Zacchaeus Njuguna, the leader of the group, said that during the entire month of May they met regularly at Al Arabi Park on Fridays to sensitize each other on the dangers of tobacco. “We had posters that carried messages on the ills of smoking and we shared the messages with each other,” he said.
Since this year’s theme is tobacco and lung health, they discussed how tobacco exposure affects the lungs and induces various diseases including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and lower respiratory infections etc.
“Smoking affects people lungs in a negative way,” Njuguna said, adding that they also learnt during their discussions how passive smoking impacts people. “People shouldn’t smoke in enclosed areas because it causes harm not only to them but also to those around them.”
According to studies, tobacco smoke is one of the most common asthma triggers and more than 40 percent of children who go to emergency rooms for asthma treatment were found to be living with smokers.
Njuguna said that besides their discussions on Fridays, they also share the information with people at their accommodations.
During their weekly gatherings they also discussed how people start smoking. “Most people start smoking because of peer pressure. If you spend time with people who smoke, you are likely to become a smoker too.”
Tobacco advertisements, he noted, can also influence people into starting smoking. However, he praised Qatar, saying he has never seen a tobacco advertisement here since he came here almost 10 years ago.
Njuguna said the warnings and pictorial graphics that are normally put on cigarette packets can help fight smoking, such as graphics depicting ‘Smoking Kills’ or some pictures of damaged lungs. “This works because those who are yet to pick up smoking have second thoughts. And for those who have started smoking, the graphics can influence them to quit smoking.”
Njuguna also praised Qatar’s healthcare sector for its efforts in helping people to quit smoking with cessation clinics at the Primary Health Care Corporation health centres and Hamad Medical Corporation’s Tobacco Control Center.
He also praised Qatar’s laws that prohibit sale of cigarettes near schools.
Coming back to the expat group’s activities, Njuguna said it’s their small way of giving back to the community. “This was part of our campaign on Sustainable Development Goals. With this, we focused on goal number three which aims at good health and well-being. Raising awareness is our way of giving back to the community. People get enlightened by our campaigns.”
He said they use their platform to educate people about how smoking pollutes the environment. “Cigarette butts are some of the things that pollute the environment. A cigarette butt can also causefire,” he noted.
Doha
Raising awareness of the dangers of smoking, a Kenyan group conducted several activities in May, the culmination of which was on May 31. On this day, the group, popularly known as the ‘Green Maasai’, joined the entire world in marking the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The day was marked by the World Health Organization (WHO) this year with the theme ‘Tobacco and lung health’.
Zacchaeus Njuguna, the leader of the group, said that during the entire month of May they met regularly at Al Arabi Park on Fridays to sensitize each other on the dangers of tobacco. “We had posters that carried messages on the ills of smoking and we shared the messages with each other,” he said.
Since this year’s theme is tobacco and lung health, they discussed how tobacco exposure affects the lungs and induces various diseases including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and lower respiratory infections etc.
“Smoking affects people lungs in a negative way,” Njuguna said, adding that they also learnt during their discussions how passive smoking impacts people. “People shouldn’t smoke in enclosed areas because it causes harm not only to them but also to those around them.”
According to studies, tobacco smoke is one of the most common asthma triggers and more than 40 percent of children who go to emergency rooms for asthma treatment were found to be living with smokers.
Njuguna said that besides their discussions on Fridays, they also share the information with people at their accommodations.
During their weekly gatherings they also discussed how people start smoking. “Most people start smoking because of peer pressure. If you spend time with people who smoke, you are likely to become a smoker too.”
Tobacco advertisements, he noted, can also influence people into starting smoking. However, he praised Qatar, saying he has never seen a tobacco advertisement here since he came here almost 10 years ago.
Njuguna said the warnings and pictorial graphics that are normally put on cigarette packets can help fight smoking, such as graphics depicting ‘Smoking Kills’ or some pictures of damaged lungs. “This works because those who are yet to pick up smoking have second thoughts. And for those who have started smoking, the graphics can influence them to quit smoking.”
Njuguna also praised Qatar’s healthcare sector for its efforts in helping people to quit smoking with cessation clinics at the Primary Health Care Corporation health centres and Hamad Medical Corporation’s Tobacco Control Center.
He also praised Qatar’s laws that prohibit sale of cigarettes near schools.
Coming back to the expat group’s activities, Njuguna said it’s their small way of giving back to the community. “This was part of our campaign on Sustainable Development Goals. With this, we focused on goal number three which aims at good health and well-being. Raising awareness is our way of giving back to the community. People get enlightened by our campaigns.”
He said they use their platform to educate people about how smoking pollutes the environment. “Cigarette butts are some of the things that pollute the environment. A cigarette butt can also causefire,” he noted.
