President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said smoking causes health problems as well as environmental damage. He made the remark in a statement issued on World No Tobacco Day.
In the statement, President Solih urged smokers to quit, warning them of the hazardous effects of smoking on health and its detrimental impact on the environment. The president offered greetings on the occasion to everyone working diligently to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of smoking and tobacco use. This year World No Tobacco Day is themed around environmental issues that threaten the existence of humankind.
Speaking on the theme, President Solih noted some of the detrimental effects of smoking on the environment such as approximately 600 million trees being cut, 84 million tonnes of CO2 being emitted, and 22 billion tonnes of water being utilised in the manufacturing of cigarettes on average every year. He also stated that 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded, amounting to 766 tonnes of hazardous waste that pollutes soil, beaches, and waterways and endangers wildlife.
Furthermore, President Solih described it as unacceptable to smoke and put oneself and the lives of others at risk. He also spoke about the importance of environmental conservation, adding that it was time to say no to tobacco.