Declare year 2007 period for relentless war on tobacco

Winneba Junction (C/R), Dec. 31, GNA - Dr Charles Ntiamoah Takyi, Central Regional Deputy Director of Health Services responsible for Clinical Care Division, has urged Ghanaians to declare the coming year an action period for intensive and relentless war against tobacco. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency during a chart at Winneba Junction, Dr Takyi who is also known as Nana Ahor Takyi I, Ayaresahene of Gomoa, said he firmly supported the repeated call on government to ban smoking, at public places, by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Services, Professor Agyemang Badu Akosah. He maintained that smoking was very dangerous to the effective and systematic development of one's health.

Dr Takyi said since monies paid into government chest by tobacco companies and importers could not equate the good health required by the citizenry for nation building, government must not joke with the laws on tobacco. He said what the government must be reminded that smoking or tobacco consumption was increasing among the most energetic and productive group of the nation, the youth. "Anything that can affect their healthy growth and destroy the natural power with which they can work hard to generate enough funds for accelerated national development, must be immediately stopped to protect their health", Dr. Takyi added.

The Deputy Director urged parents and guardians to take the bull by the horn and educate their children who have taken to smoking of all manners of tobacco and narcotic drugs, on the dangers their action would inflict on them in the course of time. He also urged traditional councils, religious bodies and all well-meaning associations to help sensitize the youth to stay clear from smoking "because it is not good for them".