Smokers At 50% Higher Risk Of Developing Severe Illness, Death Due To COVID: WHO

People who smoke tobacco are at a 50 percent higher risk of developing serious diseases which include death due to COVID-19, according to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The statement comes against the backdrop of WHO's 'Commit To Quit' tobacco campaign prior to the World No Tobacco Day which is observed every year on May 31. It warned that smokers are at risk of developing cancer, respiratory ailments, and heart-related complications.

The campaign has pooled resources on the tips and techniques on quitting smoking and staying at it freely available to the people requiring them. It is to aid the million tobacco users who are taking steps to save their lives but need direction.

"We urge all countries to play their part by joining the WHO campaign and creating tobacco-free environments that give people the information, support, and tools they need to quit and quit for good," Tedros said, reported India Today.

Union Health Minister India Harsh Vardhan received special recognition awards from the WHO Chief for taking measures to control tobacco consumption in the country.

An estimated eight million deaths occur every year due to tobacco consumption. Reports state that while a substantial portion of the people addicted to tobacco say that they want to quit but fail to do so in the absence of tools that can help them in the process.

Hence, at such a time, the WHO's campaign comes to the rescue to provide resources to the people who need help to quit the addiction successfully.

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