Anti-smoking initiatives to focus on schoolchildren

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will intensify its anti-tobacco initiatives through its cessation clinics and campaigns especially targeting schoolchildren aged 12 to 21, an official said yesterday. \"Through our smoking awareness campaigns which we have conducted in 2010 and this year, we realised that there is an urgent need to create regular community awareness activities with regard to tobacco use because of the significant number of youngsters using tobacco,\" Dr Hanan Obaid, Head of Community Health Services Programmes Section at the DHA, said. High risk \"They are our productive population and are at a high risk of developing diseases caused by long-term use of tobacco,\" she added. According to the World Health Organisation, young people who smoke may experience respiratory and non-respiratory effects, addiction to nicotine, and shortness of breath. They could have a lower level of lung function and reduced rate of lung growth compared to those who have never smoked. In 2010, the DHA conducted 98 anti-smoking campaigns targeting 6,221 people from various schools, colleges, malls, government institutions, and sports clubs. The data collected from these institutions prompted the DHA to reach out to more schools in Dubai.