UAE: 27 people die from tobacco-related diseases each week
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Jul 2017
Every six out of 10 Emiratis are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke, and this increases their risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer by 30%, a top doctor has said.
In fact, an average of 27 people die in the UAE every week from tobacco-related diseases, reported Gulf News citing the fifth World Tobacco Atlas. This is why smoking is an important health concern that needs to be tackled, said Dr Iyaad Hassan, a tobacco treatment specialist, at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
According to official statistics, 24.3% of adult men and 0.8% of adult women in the UAE are smokers.
“There are immediate benefits to quitting that can be felt within hours of stopping, like looking and feeling better. And just one year after quitting, the risk of a heart attack drops sharply. After two to five years, the risk of stroke drops to the same level as a non-smoker’s,” Dr Hassan said.
There are currently 12 other smoking cessation clinics in Abu Dhabi, including a number of others offered by private healthcare facilities. However, most insurance programmes held by expatriates do not cover cessation programmes. M