KARACHI, Nov 23: The World Health Organisation in one of its recent reports has attributed cigarette smoking as the single greatest preventable cause of death in the world.

“Tobacco smoking is contributory to 90 per cent of all cases of lung cancer, 40 per cent of all other types of cancer and 33 per cent of deaths from heart disease,” the report claims.

Stressing for a comprehensive strategy to get rid of the menace, WHO has stressed each of the states scattered around the world to come forward with efficient strategies to improve the health status of their citizens.

The report also refers to studies establishing the fact that companies with health workers who do not smoke have less work time lost due to sickness and fewer health insurance payments.

Contribution that both private and public sector companies and organisations could make to save valuable work, time and money by helping their employees stop smoking and enjoy better health has also been explicitly discussed.

It stresses that not only the public in general be sensitized about the severe repercussions of smoking, its effects on the entire body generally and on heart and lungs specifically and thus there was an urgent need to quit it. There is also a need to curtail the psychological effects of tobacco advertising which was leading to addiction.

It has also been stressed that people, particularly smokers be acquainted with alternate and safe modes to deal with stress and relaxation techniques to avoid relapse.—APP