Dear Editor,

A man walked into a store holding his little girl’s hand and continued to smoke his cigarette. The sales agent greeted him and asked him why he was smoking in the presence of the child. He replied, “A nuh nutten, everybody a do it: mi a do it, har mama a do it, a nuh nutten. She betta get use’ to it!”

What do you think? Is it “nutten”, when the World Health Organisation says the following?

(1) One out of every three cancer deaths is caused by tobacco use.

(2) One out of every three cardiovascular deaths is caused by tobacco use.

(3) For cancer control and cardiovascular disease control there needs to be tobacco control.

For tobacco control in Jamaica we need two measures:

(1) Long-term measures – tobacco control law (based on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, to which Jamaica is a signatory – but so far has not passed).

(2) Short-term measures of prevention and cessation.

As we celebrate February 4 as World Cancer Day and the month of February as Cancer Awareness Month and Heart Month, the member associations of the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control (JCTC) encourage people to have a smoke-free policy voluntarily for their homes, institutions, places of recreation and transport; put up smoke-free signage to indicate their participation in a smoke-free environment for a healthier Jamaica. People who need assistance to quit smoking and business operators who need assistance to establish a smoke-free environment policy for their business may contact the Jamaica Cancer Society at 927-4265.

You will not say “a nuh nutten” when you get sick. Tobacco control leads to cancer control and heart disease control. Play your part whether you are in government, a resident, or a business person in Jamaica. You have the power to do so!

Dr Aldyth Buckland

Member, JCTC

Kingston 5