Ukraine in the fight against stroke: why it is important to protect young people from smoking
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A stroke occurs every four minutes in Ukraine. Every year, this number translates into 100,000–110,000 strokes, more than a third of which occur in people of working age. Thus, more than 30,000 strokes in Ukraine occur among the working population.
30–40% of stroke patients die within the first 30 days and up to 50% within a year of the onset of the disease. 20–40% of surviving patients become dependent on external assistance (12.5% primary disability) and only about 10% return to a full life.
More than 180,000 Ukrainians are forced to live with disabilities due to strokes.
These figures show the brutal reality – it is not only war that takes away our people. But if we can influence the external enemy only with weapons, then diseases such as stroke can be avoided much easier. First of all, by giving up smoking.
Smoking and stroke
One of the key risk factors for stroke is smoking. The scientific community provides impressive statistics:
- Two-fifths of all stroke deaths under the age of 65 are related to smoking.
- Smoking doubles the risk of ischemic stroke and increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by 4 times.
- In non-smokers, exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke increases the risk of stroke by 20-30%.
Nicotine narrows blood vessels, in particular those that supply blood to the brain. This leads to impaired blood circulation, which can cause headaches, dizziness and increases the risk of stroke. I emphasize that nicotine is contained not only in traditional cigarettes, but also in electronic cigarettes and cigarettes for heating. So the stories about the supposed “harmlessness” of such products are lies. There is no such thing as safe smoking!
Every year in Ukraine, 130,000 people die from diseases caused by smoking. 325 thousand Ukrainians live an inferior life and lose their ability to work due to tobacco and nicotine. And the Ukrainian economy loses about 3.2% of GDP every year due to the costs of treating diseases – the consequences of active and passive smoking, the loss of working capacity of Ukrainians and the premature death of some of them. In 2021, the extrapolated loss of Ukraine due to smoking reached 179 billion hryvnias.
Why are electronic smoking devices dangerous?
E-cigarettes and e-cigarettes for heating appeared on the market relatively recently, so there is currently a lack of thorough research on the long-term effects on the human body. Nevertheless, almost every day there is confirmation that they are dangerous for the health of the smoker and others. Smoking e-cigarettes has been shown to increase the risks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease because they contain chemicals, heavy metals and carcinogens, glycerin and propylene glycol.
Recent studies show that e-cigarette users have an earlier incidence of stroke compared to traditional cigarette smokers.
Such devices are most common among children and young people, who are easily influenced by tobacco companies’ marketing and believe that using e-cigarettes or heating devices is harmless. In this way, teenagers get hooked on a nicotine needle, which is very difficult to get off. Smoking is not a habit, it is an addiction. An addiction that only 6% of all willing people manage to get rid of.
What should the Verkhovna Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers do to protect children from nicotine addiction?
At every stop of public transport, we see cigarette kiosks shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, the same is observed by children and young people at cash registers in stores and supermarkets. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children and adolescents who see bright windows with attractively designed cigarette packs are 64% more likely to start smoking.
A WHO survey shows that cigarette packaging is the main source of advertising for tobacco and nicotine products.
The World Health Organization emphasizes that a comprehensive ban on all types of advertising of tobacco and nicotine products is effective in reducing the prevalence of smoking. On July 11, 2023, a ban on advertising, sales promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, devices for heating tobacco, electronic cigarettes and their liquids came into force in Ukraine. However, cigarette packaging, which is also considered a form of advertising by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, remains a good marketing loophole.
Demonstration of tobacco and nicotine products in places of trade should be prohibited by the Law of Ukraine, especially when 80% of Ukrainians support such a ban.
I want to emphasize once again that smoking is not a bad habit, it is an addiction. And smoking is not a choice, but a big illusion imposed by tobacco companies. That is why it is so important to protect our people and our youth from being attracted to smoking and falling into the nicotine trap.
Lada BulakPeople’s Deputy from the “Servant of the People” party, specially for UP.Zhyttia
Publications in the “View” section are not editorial articles and reflect exclusively the author’s point of view.
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