The Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) have pushed for tobacco cessation as they reminded the public about the risks of both cigarette and vape smoking, and the possible spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, however, admitted that pushing for total tobacco cessation is never easy.

“It has been challenging to push for total tobacco cessation among the public, but we are not giving up. This is why it is part of the department’s health priorities that are being championed by the Health Promotion Bureau,” said Vergeire.

Vergeire said that ceasing tobacco use has always been part of the campaigns of the DOH and has been one of its health priorities due to the long-term adverse effects of smoking, not only to smokers, but on the people around them and the environment.

Critical hospitalization

For her part, Dr. Rizalina Racquel H. Gonzalez, chair of the PPS Tobacco Control Advocacy Group, revealed a startling connection between cigarette or vape smoking and Covid-19, which can cause critical hospitalization or even death.

“Smoking is associated with increased severity of disease and death in hospitalized Covid-19 patients,” Dr. Gonzalez emphasized.

She added,  “Given the well-established harms associated with tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, the WHO [World Health Organization] recommends that tobacco users stop using tobacco.”

Dr. Gonzalez also pointed out that another way that tobacco use increases the risk and spread of Covid-19 is through the hand-to-mouth gesture of puffing a cigarette or vape, which is counterintuitive to public medical advice to people not to touch their faces.

Counterintuitive

As tobacco use is often a social activity, according to Dr. Gonzalez, it also opens an opportunity for crowding which is also counterintuitive to another anti-Covid-19 preventive measure—physical distancing. Using waterpipe or shisha also entails sharing the same pipe, which can spread viruses from person to person.

Moreover, as the PPS chair elaborated, the effects of coronavirus can be worse for people who use tobacco as it leads to disease and disability, harming nearly every body organ including the lungs.

As the lungs are damaged by tobacco use, the effects of coronavirus can be worse, said Dr. Gonzalez.

She also added that tobacco use affects the immune system, hence making smokers less able to fight off infections.

Stronger policy support

Considering these risks, Dr. Gonzalez also asked for stronger support for policies against tobacco use.

“So, we urge this call, we have been using this call, pre-Covid to let’s help push our tobacco-free laws to have a smoke-free Philippines,” she said.

 Source:BUSINESS MIRROR