The tobacco use situation is difficult worldwide, including in the Republic of Moldova. About 5,000 people die annually from diseases caused by smoking, which is 12% of all the deaths in Moldova, director of the National Narcological Dispensary Mihail Oprea stated for IPN.

Among the most spread diseases caused by smoking are the heart diseases, lung cancer, brain diseases, diabetes and destructive lung diseases. Most often these diseases lead to death.

Mihail Oprea said the impact of smoking on the life of children and teens is much greater than on grownups. In minors and adolescents, smoking affects all the internal organs and systems. The brain, respiratory and cardiovascular systems are affected first of all. “The young people should not smoke as they could develop particular chronic diseases,” he noted.

According to Oprea, the medical institution he resents is anytime ready to offer counseling or medical treatment to smokers who decide to stop smoking. More smokers now seek help in giving up smoking as being healthy is good, while being sick is a very big problem.

The National Narcological Dispensary in the course of 2018 helped 500 persons to give up smoking and provided anti-smoking medical treatment to 300 persons, while about 3,000 persons had consultations.

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated on May 31. The focus of World No Tobacco Day 2019 is on “tobacco and lung health” so as to increase awareness on the negative impact that tobacco and exposure to tobacco smoke has health.