Premier urges people to quit smoking

| 31/05/2016 | 35 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): Tobacco-related illnesses contribute to the strain on the public and private health services, the premier said in his World No Tobacco Day statement Tuesday, as he urged smokers to quit. Alden McLaughlin, who is also the health minister, said people must take responsibility for their own health, as he encouraged people to consider the consequences of using tobacco and join the public health quitting cessions, which he claimed had a 90% success rate.

“While I am pleased with the strides that we have already made in the Cayman Islands towards limiting the use of tobacco products, I am still concerned by the number of people who smoke. To this end, I encourage all who smoke and wish to stop, to join the tobacco cessation programme ‘I Can Quit’ developed by the Public Health Department.In its second year running, the results yielded are very encouraging with as high as a 90 per cent success rate,” he said. “Smoking can have horrific effects, including heart disease, lung disease and a variety of other debilitating conditions which all too often lead to premature death.”

This year the World Health Organization’s No Tobacco Day is focusing on the worldwide push to remove branding from cigarette packs. This is a call for the introduction of plain packaging, restricting or prohibiting the use of logos, colours and brand images.

Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and premature death and impoverishment worldwide, and the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats that the world has ever faced, killing six million people a year.

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Category: Health, Medical Health

Comments (35)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Okay i see valid points in these comments some that i agree with some that make me roll my eyes, but what i was looking to see was if people took the time to realize that a big problem in Cayman seems to be Marijuana.
    being honest if they do not want to legalize Marijuana, decriminalize it.
    the Court system is backed up with cases where people are being caught with a simple spliff and what does that do for them?, it gives them a criminal record preventing them from getting a job, and if they cant get a job, what does that lead to?, Theft.
    a lot of people are lied to about marijuana told all sorts of bull & never told the facts.
    i can go on for days about the benefits on Marijuana but at the end of the day i am just a person that has no voice.
    do some research on this “Drug”. the positives and negatives, weigh them out and know the truth.

    the money the government could make off this is insane and also tell me how many people died from smoking “Weed”.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Marijuana > Cigarettes.

    Save lives!

  3. Al Catraz says:

    If ganja can be outlawed, there is no reason why the same thing can’t be done with tobacco.

    • Anonymous says:

      You think alcohol and Tobacco is going to be outlawed? There are right there with white collar prescription drugs – all legal and fine for use says the white man. The cocaine is also a favorite but that one is reserved for private parties.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Obesity is a far bigger problem than smoking in Cayman. Starting with our ministers.

  5. Anon says:

    If smoking brings smokers joy at the expense of preventable illnesses and dying earlier, so what? It’s their body and choices. They know the risks and have chosen to continue.

    What I have a problem with is when they smoke around non-smokers and put them at risk for lung cancer.

    Why not add a 100% tax to cigarettes and send that directly to the cancer society? At least it helps balance things out.

    • Anonymous says:

      There should be no assistance for sickness caused from smoking. If they can smoke to hard themselves and others, then the smokers should have to pay or be responsible for all of their medical expense.

      • Anonymous says:

        Using that logic the same must apply to obese people with obesity related diseases or reckless drivers injured in road traffic accidents, drug users etc the list goes on.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Let’s get on the war on weight.

    There’s too many overweight people that live on this island with health issues than people being affected by cigarettes. These same people have children they are raising to be overweight. That should be classified as child endangerment.

    It’s not just genes why the children are also large. It’s lifestyle. Let’s get bike paths put on the roads. Encourage walking and carpooling. Discounts for health insurance or premiums paid for the overweight. Caymanians are flat out lazy when it comes to exercise. There is excuse after excuse. “Oh I do some walking” well it’s obviously not enough. Make a conscious change to improve your health.

    I agree with the other poster talking about alcohol. I agree with cigarettes. Let’s add weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. We have a beautiful ocean out there. Swimming lessons are free for public school children. Why isn’t the beach used more often?

  7. Idiot pmm says:

    Say what!!!! You just put to the house medial weed!!!! So might can’t stop now!!! What u been smoking ppm…. donkeys

  8. Just let me be. says:

    Hey,just a thought.

    While I applaud the Premier’s stance on tobacco I am puzzled as to why he has stayed away from the number one drug that has caused more deaths, more medical issues, more broken laws, more victims than ciggaretts or even hard drugs have, or will ever, cause.

    What I am talking about is alcohol. Now this may err some but facts are facts, stats are stats. You can’t turn a blind eye to the truth.

    Medically their is nothing that alcohol cures or treats. It is not something that your body needs to survive. Just like ciggaretts.

    It has caused more deaths, medically or accident wise than ciggaretts. I’ve never heard of someone crashing into someone and killing them because he was smoking a cigarette, but everyday, every hour, every second someone dies because a DUI.

    It has destroyed lives physically, emotionally and even financially. I’ve never heard of someone breaking into a store to get just a pack of cigarettes, but even here there break into the bars to get alcohol. I’ve never heard of a woman being raped because of a cigarette, but they have had rapes because alcohol. I’ve never heard of a family breaking up because cigarettes, but they have broken up over alcohol.

    It is just as addictive as ciggaretts or hard drugs. People don’t steal to buy cigarettes, but they do steal and rob to buy drugs and alcohol.

    It takes more money to treat an alcoholic than a cigarette smoker to get them to quit. REHAB for most, just like hard drugs.

    But the way I see it is that it’s a personal lifestyle choice. You chose what you do with your body. Just like the gay community, just like religion, just like speaking. It’s your choice. You make a bad choice, you pay the consequences.

    So if we are going to take a stance against cigarettes then I say unto you that we should also take a hard stance against the number one threat which is alcohol. We should be raising to costs on it to the point that more people would chose not to drink as it is very unhealthy and costly. The other side of raising the costs are that it will assist in covering the costs which are related to having to deal with issues that arise due to alcohol consumption whether criminal, medical or otherwise. Like someone said earlier, it’s a win, win situation.

  9. Anonymous says:

    THIS IS SOME VERY GOOD ADVICE!! However its going to take a little more than an article in the compass to be effective. I’ve seen people on their dying beds and asking for a smoke. If anyone really cares for these slaves to Tabaco, stop selling it, introduce new taxes, make it difficult to purchase these killers. Lets be the first island to really care.

    • Ness Mess says:

      “If anyone really cares for these slaves to Tabaco, stop selling it, introduce new taxes, make it difficult to purchase these killers.”

      Yea, that’s not going to work. Search American Prohibition and see how that made an era of lawlessness and corruption and death and on and on.

  10. Anonymous says:

    If quits drinking scotch I’ll quit smoking

  11. Anonymous says:

    Premier needs to encourage his ministers to watch their weight. What are you feeding those guys anyway?

    • Anonymous says:

      Patties for breakfast , Johnny cakes at Elevensies , Stewed oxtail from the FFF Nyam line at 12:30. Possibly curried goat at Countryside on the way back to E.End evenin’ ,Bobo

  12. Sharkey says:

    Stop smoking cigarettes, and start smoking more medical ganja, good message.

    Signed premier Sharkey.

  13. Progressing slowly...... says:

    Vaping is saving my life. I use to smoke a pack a day till I started vaping. Research is out regarding the fact that vaping is 95% healthier than traditional analog cigarettes. Now for the Govt to recognize that and lower the duties on possibly the best cessation option that a smoker has currently.

    Great to see that the Progressives are being progressive on the naturally healing cannabis oil. Just don’t strong arm with regulations what is natural, free and good.

    • Anonymous says:

      Vaping causes popcorn lung.

      • Dio says:

        Not entirely true and studies need to be updated to include juices that Don’t have the flavour agent Diacetyl.

        Did you know some microwave popcorn, eaten in excess (like all things taken into the body in excess) can also lead to ‘popcorn lung’?

        Please read:

        Do Vaping & Ecigs Cause Popcorn Lung Disease?

        http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/mobileart.asp?articlekey=163580&page=1

        There are many more pros/cons studies regarding vaping and its juices. Make sure to read more than the headline grabbing/cherry picked ones, remember, if it Bleeds, it Leads. Plus the tobacco industry is on the losing end and will propagate false and misleading stories/studies.

        Not a “vaper” myself, just know I know my facts, and don’t call me in the mornings.

    • Smoke 'em if ya got' em says:

      That’ll never happen. As soon as vaping takes over the cigarette import figures (duty money from cigarettes fall), they’ll just raise the tax on vape juice, products and accessories. Gotta keep that sin tax money flowing, right? ?

  14. Anonymous says:

    just keep increasing the price of cigarettes….its an easy win-win….

  15. Anonymous says:

    what about people who work in cigar bars?….why have they not got the same protection as other workers????

  16. Anonymous says:

    Make tobacco illegal and legalize marijuana. It’s simple really.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Great! Start with people in the PPM party as a start. Good example for them to set!

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