According to cardiologist Dr Bhagawan Koirala, the consumption of tobacco products increases the risk of various sorts of fatal diseases like heart attack and lung cancer. [break]
Speaking at a discussion program organized by the Ministry of Health and Population here today, Dr Koirala said smoking is one of the causes of lung cancer on the people.
Over 50 per cent male and 13 per cent women over 15 years of age in Nepal have the habit of smoking. Similarly, some 15,000 people (9,000 men and 6,000 women) face untimely death every year in Nepal due to the consumption of tobacco products.
Although the government has already introduced and implemented a law aimed at controlling the consumption of tobacco products, its sale and consumption in the public places has not stopped yet.
Director General of the Department of Health Services Dr Mingma Sherpa said the Department is serious towards the effective implementation of laws against the tobacco consumption.
Similarly, Director at the National Health Education, Information and Communications Center Badri Bahadur Khadka said public awareness programmes aimed at containing the consumption of tobacco products is being run in different parts in the country.
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