Ukraine has some of the worst smoking rates in Europe and its impact on the health of citizens, said Derek Yah, President of the International Foundation for a Smoking-Free World, former WHO Executive Director for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health. He pointed out that about 23% of the population smokes in Ukraine, and men smoke almost three times more than women..

“Every year in Ukraine 85 thousand people die from the consequences of tobacco smoking. The most common causes of death are heart disease, lung cancer and stroke.. This figure can be significantly reduced if we support smokers on the path to quitting smoking, "

The expert noted that the mortal danger for smokers is not nicotine, as many think, but combustion products - tar, smoke, and the like..

“Therefore, Europe and the United States are introducing a transitional method for those smokers who cannot completely give up cigarettes - the transition to less harmful products. There are even government programs to support those people who cannot get rid of their addiction on their own.. These programs help smokers to stop smoking, and in cases where this is not possible, recommend products with less harm, which include e-cigarettes, heating systems, nicotine patches, smokeless tobacco, etc.. "

He added that the UK showed the best example of tobacco control, which in 10 years reduced the smoking rate of the population from 33% to 14.5%.. At the same time, the main educational function was carried out by the doctors, who took it upon themselves to inform the population about which products are the least dangerous.. At the same time, taxes on classic cigarettes in the country are high in order not to stimulate the smoking of harmful products, and taxes on products with less harm are significantly lower or absent at all.. Similar approaches are used by Sweden, which has already achieved the best anti-tobacco indicators - only 16% of the population smokes there..

[See_also].

Smoking triggers the development of a severe stage of the disease COVID-19 - research.

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Earlier it was reported that the World Health Organization has noted the health risks of e-cigarettes and calls for strengthening the legislation regulating their circulation.. WHO report says e-cigarettes are "