By EPN Reporter
MBABANE – The Ministry of Health is concerned by the fact that there is an increase in smoking among the youth of Eswatini.
That is the reason why it has taken it upon itself to raise awareness about the dangers of this habit. According to the ministry, the rate of smoking is rising, especially in urban areas because the youth have employed many different ways of smoking, which could make it look like it is fashionable. According to Health Promotions Manager Sidumo Lukhele, the time for the ministry to raise awareness of this habit had come.
Lukhele said some of the youth used what was known as the hubbly bubbly to smoke. He pointed out that the purpose of using such was probably to make it look like they were not smoking the usual cigarettes, but were merely inhaling something that was not dangerous.
According to the manager, while they used the hubbly bubbly, they used substances that were found in cigarettes, which were dangerous. This was not good for the health of the youth because these substances, no matter how they were inhaled, were affecting important body parts such as the brain and the liver.
Lukhele said as a result, government saw it fit for ministries to come together and teach about the dangers of smoking. He stated that the ministry of health came together with ministries of economic planning and development; commerce, industry and trade; and sports, culture and youth affairs to teach on how the youth could alleviate the rate at which they smoked.
He mentioned that no matter which viewpoint could be used to discuss smoking, the truth remained that it disturbed many important body parts and could lead to sickness and even death.
