‘Smoking causes erectile dysfunction’

The Association of General and Private Medical
Practitioners of Nigeria on Wednesday called on
the Federal Government to ban all commercial
advertisements which promote smoking
because “tobacco consumption cases erectile
dysfunction.”

The association which demanded enforcement
of the ban on smoking in public places and
transport systems, also quoted the report of the
World Health Organisation, which state that
while over one billion people globally smoke
tobacco, over five million people die worldwide
annually as a result of its consumption.

President of AGPMPN, Dr. Frank Odafen, stated
these during a press briefing in commemoration
of this year’s Family Doctors’ Day, scheduled for
Thursday with the theme: ‘Smoking cessation
and the family’.

Among the diseases associated with smoking
include lung cancer, heart diseases such as heart
attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases,
erectile dysfunction and birth defects.

Odafen said, “It has been estimated that over
one billion people globally practice tobacco
smoking. Diseases associated with smoking have
been shown to kill approximately half of long
term when compared with average mortality
rates faced by non-smokers. The WHO report
states that five million people worldwide die as
a result of smoking.

“Some of the deadly hazards associated with
smoking include erectile dysfunction, lung
cancer, heart diseases, including heart attacks,
chronic pulmonary diseases and birth defects.”

To check the trend which, Odafen called on the
government to put some wholesome laws in
place which are expected to protect non-
smokers.

The AGPMPN said, “All government at all levels
should ban smoking in public places/transport
systems. The government should institute high
taxation on tobacco products, while the National
Broadcasting Corporation should run
advertorials on TV/Radio to discourage smoking.

“The government should disallow all
commercials advertising or promoting smoking
in the media print and electronic and
government should provide social rehabilitation
centres for those willing to give up smoking.”