The Cameroon Coalition for Tobacco Control (C3T) team resided in the sub-division of the South Region last November from the 14-15. The objective was to sensitize the youths of some schools from both primary and secondary schools that were identified. Among such schools are the Lycée Classique et Moderne d'Ebolowa, College Regional d'Agriculture and L'école catholique bilinque de Nko'ovos. Armed with their sensibilization materials, members of the C3T were accompagnied by the school authorities concerned, presented the disadvantages of smoking and the benefits linked to the cessation.

<<Guy, cigarettes does not make you handsome rather it kills you!>>

These are the words borrowed from the youths jargon by the C3T team to address the numerous youths on the consequences of tobacco. Blacking their fingers and teeth, lost of appetite, mouth odour, early old age, the risk of contracting serious and incurable illnesses like cancer, infertility, risk of having a heart attack and other heart related diseases ,of the head and lungs which can lead to cardiac arrest . Such are some of the health consequences. On the social plan, note should be taken that tobacco can lead to youthful exuberance. For a student that's caught smoking tobacco on campus is exposing him or herself to a disciplinary council which could lead to its expulsion from school.

The smoke of a cigarette contains more than 4000 toxic chemical substances and is deadly. Among others is Carbon dioxide (gas that is being release by cars), Phosphate (rat poison), Formol (products use in the conservation of dead bodies in mortuary), gravels (products use in road construction), ammoniac (products use in cleaning toilets)…  Reasons why youths, should avoid anything that will cause any harm to their health and hence hinder their life and future, have got to avoid consuming tobacco which is dangerous in all its forms(cigarette, pipe, Swiss roll, cambs letture)

Youths sensitize were also invited to stay away from smokers so as to avoid the smoke from their cigarette. They were reminded that a passive smokers run the same risk as the person smoking if he's been in constant contact with the smoke. Youths with parents that smoke have got to sensitize them on all the risks related to smoking and how it could affect their entourage.

Reasons to stop

According to experts, once you stop smoking, the body gets rude of the nicotine and the smoker regains his good mouth odour with his normal weight. His got more energy and a better respiration and regains his appetite. Moreover, blood pressure and heart beats comes back to normal. Enough reasons to motivate the smoker from stopping smoking which kills about 7 million persons in the world each year.