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Current AffairsHelp for smokers is just one phone call away
Smoking kills five million people world-wide every year. By now more people
have died from smoking related illnesses than the number of people killed
in the First and Second World War combined. To quit smoking is
traditionally the most common New Year's resolution world-wide but only a
very small percentage manages to fight the addiction and not light up by
the end of February. Smokers in the Czech Republic who are trying to quit
can now get a helping hand on a new Quitline if they find themselves
slipping back into the habit.
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Current AffairsExperts on smoking say health care systems need to cover costs to help fight tobacco dependency
If you're one of those who has to light a cigarette within the first thirty
minutes after getting out of bed in the morning and if the mere sound of a
cigarette being lit instantly improves your mood and makes your heart beat
faster, then it's high time for you to visit your local smoking cessation
centre. This, according to Czech-born medical psychologist Petr Hajek -
one of the world's leading experts on tobacco-dependency research. Dr
Hajek, who now resides in the United Kingdom, visited Prague on Thursday
to lecture fellow colleagues, the media, and Czech politicians in
Parliament on how to treat tobacco dependency and the role the state can
play in it.
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Current AffairsPrague conference highlights alarming statistics about smoking
A seminar was held this week in Prague's Centre for Preventive Cardiology,
on the effects of tobacco smoking, organised by the Czech Coalition
against Tobacco. Delegates at the conference came out with some alarming
statistics. For example, 50 people die per day in the Czech Republic from
the effects of smoking. A regular smoker shortens his life by 15 years and
about a third of the population of the Czech Republic still smokes. I
asked Dr Michal Vrablik what are the greatest dangers:
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Current AffairsCigarettes and alcohol banned at stalls
Every year the Czech government looses approximately 3 billion crowns
through the sale of unlicensed cigarettes and alcohol. Most of it is sold
at outdoor stalls, predominantly by Vietnamese market traders. Despite the
fact that the cartons of cigarettes are obviously counterfeit, and there
have even been cases of buyers coming home to find their cartons stuffed
with cotton wool and nails -the lower price of smuggled cigarettes
continues to ensure steady sales. Inspections and police raids have proved
ineffective in the long run -since no matter how many goods are
confiscated, within hours the salesmen are back with more of the same. The
Czech government has now moved to stop this practice.
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