Under the patronage of the President of the Northern Technical University, Professor Dr. Alia Abbas Al-Attar,
and under the supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Lizan Madhat Muhammad, Dean of the Technical Medical Institute / Kirkuk,
the Department of Nursing Technology, in cooperation with the University Psychological Counseling Unit, held a symposium entitled “The Dangers of Tobacco and Smoking and Their Impact on Health.”
Presented at the symposium were:
Assistant Professor Dr. Iman Salman Hassan
Miss Pervan Abdul Basit Bashir.
This symposium was organized with the aim of raising health and social awareness about the dangers of smoking and ways to prevent it, and encouraging individuals to quit this harmful habit.
At the beginning of the symposium, attendees were welcomed and the importance of smoking was highlighted as one of the most important causes of chronic diseases worldwide. Statistics were presented illustrating the extent of the problem globally and locally, highlighting the urgent need for awareness.
The symposium reviewed the health risks of smoking, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases, in addition to its impact on overall appearance and mental health. The dangers of secondhand smoke on children, pregnant women, and non-smokers were also discussed, emphasizing that smoking harms not only the smoker but also society as a whole.
The symposium also addressed the economic and social losses resulting from smoking, highlighting the enormous savings that can be saved by quitting, compared to the financial and health burdens it causes.
The symposium also emphasized the importance of prevention among young people through early awareness, helping them resist peer pressure, and spreading a culture of conscious refusal to smoke.
As for methods of quitting and support, practical steps were explained to help smokers quit, emphasizing the importance of willpower and family and institutional support, and presenting inspiring success stories.
In conclusion, the role of society and laws in reducing smoking was emphasized by implementing regulations that protect public places and providing support to smokers who wish to quit.
The seminar concluded with a call to attendees to be positive role models for their families and communities and to contribute to spreading awareness to curb this dangerous phenomenon.
