{"id":5826,"date":"2018-06-08T09:30:52","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T09:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smokefreegreece.gr\/?p=5826"},"modified":"2018-07-16T14:26:44","modified_gmt":"2018-07-16T14:26:44","slug":"world-no-tobacco-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smokefreegreece.gr\/en\/world-no-tobacco-day\/","title":{"rendered":"World No Tobacco Day 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

In celebration of The World Health Organization\u2019s\u00a0World No Tobacco Day<\/strong>\u00a0on May 31st<\/sup>\u00a02018, the\u00a0George D. Behrakis Research Lab<\/strong>, together with the\u00a0Institute of Public Health of The American College of Greece<\/strong>, organized a Press Conference where the General Secretary of Public Health at the Ministry of Health of Greece,\u00a0Mr. Ioannis Baskozos,<\/strong>\u00a0Representative of the Hellenic parliament, Deputy of Attica,\u00a0Mr. Ioannis Dedes<\/strong>, Emeritus Professor of Cardiology,\u00a0Dr. Dionysios Kokkinos<\/strong>\u00a0and the President of the Hellenic Post,\u00a0Ms. Efrosini Stavrakis<\/strong>\u00a0took part as honoured guests.<\/p>\n

During the press conference, the president of The Institute of Public Health- ACG, Professor, Panagiotis Behrakis awarded Mrs. Marianna Vardinogianni, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and Mrs. Alexandra Stassinopoulou from the Public Benefit Foundation Michail N. Stassinopoulos -VIOHALCO\u00a0 for their long-term support to the educational works and efforts of the SmokefreeGreece campaign.<\/p>\n

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President of the Institute of Public Health-ACG, Prof. Behrakis and Mrs. Marianna Vardinogianni, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador<\/p><\/div>\n

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Accepting on behalf of Mrs. Alexandra Stassinopoulou, Mrs. Vicky Kefallinou from the Public Benefit Foundation Michail N. Stassinopoulos -VIOHALCO<\/p><\/div><\/figure>\n

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\u00abThe Ministry of Health considers the tobacco control initiatives as a measure to protect public health very important.\u00bb Mr. Baskozos<\/p>\n

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General Secretary of Public Health at the Ministry of Health of Greece, Ioannis Baskozos<\/p><\/div>\n

Professor Kokkinos stressed that smoking is a major risk factor for the onset of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, stroke and aortic aneurysms. The WHO dedicated this year\u2019s World No Tobacco Day to the impact of tobacco use on the cardiovascular system.<\/p>\n

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Emeritus Professor of Cardiology, Dr. Dionysios Kokkinos<\/p><\/div>\n

He also reported that smoking is responsible for 28% of the death of men and 13% of the deaths of women aged 35-60 years. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and 12% of those deaths are attributable to smoking. Passive smoking also increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by up to 30% with no minimum threshold of cigarettes that put someone at risk.<\/p>\n

Professor Panagiotis Behrakis referred to the reduction of total smokers by\u00a09 percentage points<\/strong>\u00a0in Greece in recent years (reference from KAPA Research and the Hellenic Statistical Authority).<\/p>\n

He also stressed that according to ELSTAT, there has been a 33.3% reduction in overall smokers between the ages of 16-24 years between 2009-2014 in Greece. Also remarkable, is the reduction of annual consumption of cigarettes by 57% in the past decade in Greece.<\/p>\n

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\u00abGreeks have finally changed their mindset. Greece is coming ever closer to the European mindset and attitudes toward the tobacco epidemic. The goal is a new generation without smoking.\u00bb Panagiotis Behrakis<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dr. Vaso Evangelopoulou, Pulmonologist\/Intensivist of the George D.Behrakis Research Laboratory presented the new \u00abLearn Not to Smoke\u00bb notebook, the philosophy of which is, to present in a positive way, messages to children about life and choosing not to smoke. 160,000 copies of the notebook were printed by the Hellenic National Printing Office sponsored by the Hellenic Parliament and the Hellenic Post for distribution to elementary school students in\u00a0the 5th and 6th grade across the country.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Vaso Evangelopoulou, Pulmonologist and Surgeon of the George D.Behrakis Research Laboratory<\/p><\/div>

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