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World No Tobacco Day

“Stop Smoking, Save Lives”

Tobacco in various forms has proved beyond all reasonable doubt to be a killing machine. Despite the information available, the Tobacco Industry continues to succeed by using manipulative tactics to attract both the young and the old.

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31st May is World No – Tobacco Day and was used to raise awareness on the harmful effects of tobacco use. The war on curbing smoking for instance continues but globally we are a far cry from winning. The theme for this year is “Tobacco, a threat to development”.

Smoking harms almost every organ of the body and causes ill health. Unfortunately non-smokers who inhale the fumes (passive smoker) are also at risk of the many disease conditions caused by tobacco. Do not be deceived by those who claim that Shisha is a safer alternative. It may actually be more disastrous since several other additives are mixed with the tobacco. Some people even share the pipes bringing into play several other contact diseases.

Tobacco use in various forms puts a strain on many economies as money is channeled into taking care of many illnesses that this killing machine may have caused. The worst news is that many of these people eventually die prematurely or are in no position to contribute actively to the work force.

Growing the plants also requires the use of a lot of pesticides and fertilisers that also end up harming the environment. Whichever way you look at it, messing up with tobacco is a death sentence and it does it slowly causing you pain and raining poverty on you.

STAGGERING FACTS

Secondhand Smoke and Death

This causes an extremely high number of deaths from lung cancer and heart disease so do not look on passively and inhale smoke from someone else

Premature Deaths

The life expectancy of those who smoke cigarette is at least 10 years less than a non-smoker

Quitting smoking before age 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by about 90%

Do not deceive yourself and start hoping to quit on your fortieth birthday.

Increased risk for death among men and women

There is an increased risk of death from lung diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema, cancer of the lungs, trachea, bronchus

Death from cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease such as a stroke is also very high among both males and females.

Cancers

Virtually no organ in the body is spared; bladder, stomach, oesophagus, pancreas. The list is long and essentially if you can remember a part of the body then it is likely smoking can cause cancer there.

Oral Care

Tobacco surely affects teeth and gum and in addition to discolouration of teeth it may also lead to teeth loss

Fertility and Childbirth

Getting pregnant and carrying the baby to term is a challenge

Affects a man’s sperm and may lead to sterility

Babies may be born before term or are born with very low birthweight exposing them to other disease conditions

Lifestyle Diseases

The risk of Type II Diabetes is high and also smoking makes it difficult to control the condition

It increases risk of high blood pressure and makes its control difficult.

It thickens the walls of blood vessels and narrows their lumen making it difficult for blood to blood and increasing the pressure against the walls of the blood vessel.

We all need to play a role to stop the harmful effects of tobacco use; cigarette smoking, pipe smoking, huffing and puffing on Shisha is not fashionable. It does not make you look “cool” and even if you do not smoke yet fail to advise those you mingle with to stop, you will also be at risk of several diseases.

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel

Health Essentials/St Andrews Clinic

(www.healthclubsgh.com)

Dr Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.

Thought for the week – “prevention is certainly better than cure BUT when you fall ill seek a cure immediately instead of holding unto preventive measures only.”

References:

www.who.int/tobaco/wntd
CDC – Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

World No Tobacco Day and Islam’s Position On Smoking, By Murthada Gusau

Servants of Allah! Since smoking became known to Muslims, all of the great scholars who have the capability of Ijtihad (deriving verdicts in new situations) agree to its prohibition. Thus, there is no value for baseless opinions, conflicting with this, provided by self-proclaimed lesser scholars.

http://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2017/06/02/world-no-tobacco-day-and-islams-position-on-smoking-by-murthada-gusau/

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Verily, all praise is for Allah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah; He is alone without any partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

“O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.” [Surah Ali Imran, 3:102]

“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women, and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship) Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.” [Surah al-Nisa’, 4:1]

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (Pbuh) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hellfire and made to enter Paradise).” [Surah al-Ahzab, 33:70-71]

As to what proceeds:

Verily the best of speech is the Book of Allah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (Pbuh). The worst of affairs are the newly-invented affairs in the religion and every newly invented affair in the religion is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance and all misguidance is in the hellfire.

As to what proceeds:

Servants of Allah! Every year, on May 31, the World Health Organisation and it’s partners mark World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), highlighting the health and additional risks associated with tobacco use, and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2017 was “Tobacco – a threat to development.” But sadly, the world forgot or refuses to recognise that to protect the human life and health, Islam prohibited tobacco/cigarettes smoking 1438 years ago.

My people! As the world marked this year’s World No Tobacco Day, reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that Tobacco use kills more than seven million people annually and costs over $1.4 trillion in healthcare expenditure and lost productivity.

Brothers and Sisters! Tobacco was discovered by Spanish sailors on American shores at about 1500 CE (900 AH). Since its discovery, the epidemic of smoking has continued to spread all over the world. In our times, one seldom finds a house not afflicted by it. As early as the Seventeenth Century, the European countries realised the dangers of smoking and fought against it. Laws were ordained in England, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and other countries, prohibiting smoking and punishing violators.

Here in Nigeria, it’s reported that the present Nigerian Health Minister, Mr. Isaac Adewole, has announced nine rules and regulations in the Nigeria Tobacco Control Act that would be implemented by the federal government.

And we must thank the former president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan for signing into law The National Tobacco Control Act in 2015.

Health minister, Mr. Isaac Adewole, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, was reported to have said that the implementation of the tobacco control Act had been slow because its regulations require the further approval of the National Assembly.

Dear Brothers and Sisters! Nowadays, the Western countries continue their attempts to protect their people from the harms of smoking. They employ the means of the media, ordain laws and regulations, and apply other methods to discourage people from smoking. Because of that, the rate of smokers has declined to a certain degree in those countries.

Servants of Allah! Smoking was introduced to the Muslim countries by the Europeans around 1000 AH. Its spread among the Muslims was similar to that in the West. The unfortunate fact, however, is that in Muslim countries, no similar concrete measures were exerted to protect the people from it. To the contrary, the media continues to advertise smoking and encourage people to use cigarettes. This has caused the epidemic of smoking to continue to spread in those countries to such an extent that it has become hard to control. Smoking has become the rule, and abstaining from it the exception. Often, people look with astonishment and disdain at persons who decline when cigarettes are offered to them.

Today, in some places, offering cigarettes to guests has become among the first rules of hospitality. Anyone who does not offer these to his guests or insist on them smoking would be violating the ethics of hospitality and generosity!

Furthermore, some of those who pretend to represent the Religion are among the worst addicts to smoking. When they are reproached or reminded of their vice, they respond by providing weak excuses to justify this in the name of Islam. They slyly remark that there is no clear Nass (text) prohibiting smoking. Therefore, they conclude, smoking is not prohibited, but is only makruh (disliked), which is a lie. By this, they provide a poor excuse for the ignorant, and establish a very bad example for others.

Such statements have influenced many Muslims, causing them to fall into the snares of addiction to smoking. This is observed all over the world. A striking example is that all American airlines now prohibit smoking, even on most international flights; on the other hand, for some Muslim airlines, sometime one travels in a state of near-suffocation, even on short trips, because of the high number of smokers.

Thus, it becomes incumbent to put together a sermon which provides evidence concerning the ruling of smoking in Islam. I hope that this will benefit our Muslim brothers and sisters; and I ask Allah to accept it from me as a sincere deed for His pleasure.

My respected people! Smoking refers to the action of lighting a cigarette, a pipe, a cigar, a water pipe, or any other object made from tobacco or materials of similar effects. The object is then sucked on with the lips to extract smoke. This smoke is inhaled into the chest and then exhaled from the nose and mouth as a thick white smoke.

“Smoking” is now used to refer to the action of producing this smoke in English, Arabic, and other languages.

Servants of Allah! There are many reasons, any one of which is sufficient to rule smoking as prohibited. Most importantly, it is harmful in numerous ways. It is harmful to the religion, health, environment, family, brotherhood and social relations, property, etc. The following sections will briefly outline some of its harms and evils.

Smoking spoils a person’s acts of worship and reduces their rewards. For instance, it spoils the prayer, which is the pillar of Religion. Allah’s Messenger (Pbuh) said:

“Whoever eats garlic or onion, let him avoid us and our mosque, and stay in his home. The angels are surely hurt by things that hurt the human beings.” (Buhari and Muslim from Jabir and other Companions)

Those with clean and undefiled fitrah (nature) have no doubt that the smell emanating from the mouth of a smoker is worse and more foul than that from the mouth of one who ate garlic or onion. Thus, a smoker is in between two options, either to harm the praying people and the angels with his foul smell, or to miss the prayer in congregation (Jama’ah).

Smoking also spoils fasting. Fasting is very hard for the smoker. As soon as the day is over, he hastens to break his fast on an evil cigarette, instead of sweet dates or pure water. Even if he fasts through the month of Ramadan, a smoker is reluctant to fast on other days. Thus he loses the great reward of those who fast even one day in Allah’s way.

No one can deny the harm of smoking to the human body. The medical evidence for this is well established and overwhelming. Because of this, the law in the United States and many other countries requires the inclusion of warnings on any advertisement pertaining to smoking.

Smoking contains poisonous materials, such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic, benzopyrene, etc., that the smoker swallows in small proportions. Their harm accumulates with time to result in a gradual killing of the human organs and tissues.

The hazards of smoking to the health are hard to enumerate. Cancer, tuberculosis, heart attacks, asthma, coughing, premature birth, infertility, infections in the digestive system, high blood pressure, nervousness, mouth and teeth diseases, etc., are among the many health hazards that have been strongly linked to smoking.

These diseases may not appear all at once, however a smoker is most likely to suffer from some of them at some point sooner than later, and his suffering increases as he grows older. Furthermore, statistics have established that the lifespan of smokers are, on the average, ten years less than those of other people.

This is sufficient reason to prohibit smoking. Islam prohibits any action that causes harm to oneself or to other people. Allah says:

“Do not kill yourselves, Allah is indeed merciful to you.” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:29)

And He says:

“Do not cast yourselves, with your own hands, into destruction.” (Surah Al-Baqara, 2:195)

And the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) says:

“No harm may be inflicted on oneself or others.” (Ahmad and Ibn Majah from Ibn Abbas and Ubadah, and authenticated by Albani)

And he says:

“The feet of a human being will not depart, on the day of Judgement, from his standing before his Lord, until he is questioned about five things: his lifetime – how did he pass it, his youth – how did he used it, his wealth – where did he earn it and how did he spend it, and how did he follow what he knew.” (At-Tirmidhi and others from Ibn Mas’ud and authenticated by Albani)

And:

“Whoever consumes poison, killing himself with it, then he will be consuming his poison in the hellfire, and he will abide in it permanently and eternally.” (Bukhari and Muslim from Jabir)

My people! Smoking is also harmful to the human mind and reason. An obvious demonstration of this is that one who is addicted to it passes through periods of severe craving, making it hard for him to think, concentrate, solve a problem, or do any important matter, until he smokes.

When one smokes, his muscles slacken, and he passes through a brief period of delirium that curtains thought. His digestive system is also affected, causing him frequent nervousness and trembling of the hands. He passes through periods of excitability, irritation, and insomnia.

Thus, instead of being Allah’s slave, a smoker becomes a slave to his cigarette. He develops a weak control of his sense and reason. The faculty of reason, clear and unobstructed, is one of Allah’s great bounties and gifts in people. He praised it in numerous places of the Qur’an; and He called on people to use it to see the truth and obey Him in a better way. Allah wants of the believer to be strong and capable of controlling the reigns of his desires. He said:

“Allah wants to let you into His mercy, whereas those who follow the desires want you to drift far away (from the right path).” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:27)

Also, a smoker emits his poison in the faces of his companions, wife, children, and the environment. It is well established that second-hand smoke is almost as dangerous as the first-hand one. Thus, whether they like it or not, a smoker’s associates are forced to inhale smoke and become smokers as well.

In addition to the poisons normally carried in smoke, if a smoker has a contagious disease, such as tuberculosis or influenza, his exhaled smoke and coughing carry the disease to those around him.

Furthermore, a smoker irritates people by the foul smell and poisonous nature of his smoking. If they suffer from asthma or allergies, they are forced to move away from his vicinity. The Prophet (Pbuh) said:

“Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbour.” (Al-Bukhari)

Thus, smoking constitutes a definite harm to other people; this is prohibited, as was indicated in the hadith cited earlier.

Also, a smoker is certainly a bad companion to sit with, as is depicted in the following hadith:

“Verily, the example of a good companion and a bad one is like that of a perfume merchant and a blacksmith: As for the perfume merchant, he would either grant you (some perfume), or you would buy (some perfume) from him, or (in the least) you would get a good smell from him. And as for the blower of the bellows (iron smith), you would either get a foul odour from him, or he would burn your clothes.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Brothers and Sisters! A smoker wastes his wealth on that which harms and has no benefit; he will be asked about his wealth and how he spent it, as has been cited in the hadith earlier. His wealth belongs to Allah, so how would he dare to waste it in disobedience to Him? Allah says:

“And do not entrust to the imprudent ones the possessions that Allah has placed in your charge…” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:5)

And He says:

“And do not waste (your resources) extravagantly. Indeed the Squanderers are the brethren of the devils.” (Surah Al-Isra’, 17:26-27)

And the Prophet (Pbuh) said:

“Allah hates for you three things: gossiping, begging, and wasting money.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Furthermore, there are numerous cases of burnt carpets, furniture, vehicles, and even complete houses and establishments that have resulted from this disastrous vice.

Moreover, smoking is a form of moral decadence. It is most spread among low-class immoral people. It reflects the blind imitation of the non-Muslims. It is mostly consumed in bars, discos, casinos, and other places of sin. A smoker may beg or steal if he does not have the money to buy cigarettes. He is ill-mannered with his friends and family, especially when he misses taking his necessary “dose” at the usual time.

Smoking involves the consumption of an evil substance (khabith). It has a foul smell, foul taste, and is harmful to the body. This is sufficient to prohibit it, because Allah says:

“(The Prophet) who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right, forbid them the doing of what is wrong, make lawful to them the good things of life, prohibit for them the evil things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were (previously) upon them.” (Surah Al-‘Araf, 7:157)

A smoker inhales the smoke that does not give him any nourishment. This is similar to the action of the people of the Hell fire who eat harmful thorny plants. Allah says:
“No food will be there for them but a poisonous thorny plant, which will neither nourish them nor still their hunger.” (Surah Al-Ghashiya, 88:6-7)

A smoker, whether he likes it or not, makes of himself an example for his children and others to follow. He leads them to commit this evil. Actions sometimes have a stronger effect than words. Thus, even if he advises them or forbids them from smoking, his partaking in it provides them with a strong excuse to do so too.

The problem is worse when the smoker is of known piety or knowledge. In such case, his harm becomes more emphasised, because more people take him as a guide and example, and are thus led astray by him. This multiplies his sins and increases his burden.

Also, the majority of good people avoid smoking and stay away from smokers. Therefore, a smoker is forced to stay away from them – at least while he smokes. He puts himself in a selective exile, creating a spiritual distance and hostility between him and good people, and a closeness to evil people. The effects of this become more apparent and acute with time.

Note that this applies equally to any sin that a person commits, small or big.

A smoker despises himself, because he feels that a little cigarette is controlling him. Realising his weakness before desires, this creates in him a feeling of defeat in the face of hardships.

Servants of Allah! Since smoking became known to Muslims, all of the great scholars who have the capability of Ijtihad (deriving verdicts in new situations) agree to its prohibition. Thus, there is no value for baseless opinions, conflicting with this, provided by self-proclaimed lesser scholars.

Brothers and Sisters! In discussing the subject of the prohibition of smoking, there are some important warnings that need to be mentioned:

1. As indicated before, the prohibition of smoking is not restricted to cigarettes, but applies as well to other objects that have similar effects such as cigars, pipes, water-pipes, chewing tobacco or sniffing tobacco, etc.

2. The reasons mentioned above for prohibiting smoking apply as well, and more strongly, to various types of drugs and hashish such as marijuana. These materials have additional problems such as causing drunkenness, death, madness, etc.

3. The prohibition of smoking is not restricted to consuming it, but applies as well to offering it to people, sitting with those who are smoking, or selling it. All of this involves helping people commit sins, which is prohibited, as Allah says:

“Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sinning and transgression. And fear and revere Allah; verily, Allah is severe in punishment.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:2)

Also, Allah’s Messenger (Pbuh) said:

“Indeed when Allah prohibits something, he prohibits eating its price (i.e. its money).” (Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Ibn Abbas, authenticated by Albani)

My people! Only few of those addicted to smoking are able to stop it. The reasons for this are many, among which are the following:

1. The addictive nature of the poisonous substances contained in it;

2. Smokers are not totally convinced of its prohibition;

3. They do not have a strong determination to refrain from it;

The following are some suggestions to help a person to stop smoking:

1. Rely on Allah sincerely, with full determination not to return to smoking, in compliance with Allah’s command:

“When you decide on a certain course of action, place your trust in Allah.” (Surah Ali-Imran, 3:159)

2. Stop immediately, instead of claiming it is best to do it gradually. The gradual approach is the way of one who does not trust his determination and the will power that Allah has granted him. Let the example be taken from the Sahabah (Companions) who, as soon as Allah’s command reached them regarding alcohol:

“Will you not then desist?” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:91)

They immediately poured out all the alcohol that they had and said, “We desist our Lord, we desist!” They did this despite the fact that alcohol has a greater addictive power over those who drink it.

3. Avoid the bad company of smokers and smoking environments that are full with the smell of smoke;

4. Change your food diet by abstaining from food and drinks that entice the craving for smoke such as spices, meat, tea, and coffee; and eat a lot of vegetables and fruits;

5. Use medically tested and established procedures to help stop smoking, as directed by physicians, such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, etc.;

6. Expel the secret whispers of Shaytan (Satan) who continuously dictates to the human being that he is weak and incapable of refraining from sinning, as Allah says:

“It is but Satan who instills (into you) fear of his allies; so do not fear them, but fear Me if you are (truly) believers…” (Surah Ali-Imran, 3:175)

And:

“Fight then against the allies of Satan; indeed, Satan’s guile is weak…” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:76)

Brothers and Sisters! Please, for more information about the prohibition of tobacco/cigarette, check out the following important books:

1. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Muhammad bin Ibrahim (rahimahullah);

2. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Abdur-Rahman Bin Nasir as-Sa’adi (rahimahullah);

3. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Abdul-Aziz Bin Abdullah Bin Baz (rahimahullah);

4. The Ruling of Smoking, by Shaykh Muhammad Bin Salih al-Uthaymin (rahimahullah);

5. Hukmul lslami fit-Tadkhin, by Shaykh Muhammad Jamil Zainu;

6. Hukmud Dini fil-Lihyati wat-Tadkhin, by Shaykh Hasan al-Halabi;

7. Smoking and Its Effects on Health, by Dr. Muhammad Ali al-Barr;

8. The Smoke of the Gods: A Social History of Tobacco, by Eric Burns Temple University Press, 2007;

9. Unfiltered: Conflicts over Tobacco Policy and Public Health, by Eric A. Feldman; Ronald Bayer Harvard University Press, 2004;

10. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioural Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General, by U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. United States Public Health Service. Office of the Surgeon General, 2010;

11. The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General“, by Office of the Surgeon General United States. Public Health Service. Office of the Surgeon General, 2014;

12. At What Cost? The Economic Impact of Tobacco Use on National Health Systems, Societies and Individuals : A Summary of Methods and Findings, by The World Bank International Development Research Centre, 2003;

13. “Smoking Prevalence in the United States: Differences across Socioeconomic Groups”, by Goel, Rajeev K, Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol. 32, No. 2, April 2008.

14. “Risk Beliefs and Smoking Behaviour”, by Viscusi, W. Kip; Hakes, Jahn K, Economic Inquiry, Vol. 46, No. 1, January 2008;

15. Regulating Tobacco, by Robert L. Rabin; Stephen D. Sugarman; Oxford University Press, 2001;

16. “Cigarette Smoking among Adolescents with Alcohol and Other Drug Use Problems”, by Myers, Mark G.; Kelly, John F, Alcohol Research, Vol. 29, No. 3, Fall 2006;

17. Peddling Poison: The Tobacco Industry and Kids, by Clete Snell; Praeger, 2005;

18. Smoking Prevention: The Impact of Shock and Sap Appeal, by Nickols-Richardson, Sharon M, Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, Vol. 94, No. 4, November 2002;

19. :The Food and Drug Administration Kicks the Habit-The FDA’s New Role in Regulation of Tobacco Products”, by Yevtukhova, Olga, American Journal of Law & Medicine, Vol. 35, No. 4, October 1, 2009;

20. “Tobacco Abuse in Pregnancy”, by Oliver, Robert J. Md, PhD, Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health, Vol. 17, No. 2, Winter 2002.

21. Smoking and the Workplace: Issues and Answers for Human Resources Professionals. Contributors: William M. Timmins Clark Brighton Timmins; Quorum Books, 1989;

22. Smoking, Health, and Personality. Contributors: H. J. Eysenck; Basic Books, 1965;

23. The Education-Drug Use Connection: How Successes and Failures in School Relate to Adolescent Smoking, Drinking, Drug Use, and Delinquency. Contributors: Jerald G. Bachman, Patrick M. O’Malley, John E. Schulenberg, Lloyd D. Johnston, Peter Freedman, Doan Emily E. Messersmith; L. Erlbaum Associates, 2008;

24. Theory and Practice of Excise Taxation: Smoking, Drinking, Gambling, Polluting, and Driving. Contributors: Sijbren Cnossen; Oxford University Press, 2005;

25. Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use in Young Adulthood: The Impacts of New Freedoms and New Responsibilities. Contributors: Jerald G. Bachman, Katherine N. Wadsworth, Patrick M. O’Malley, Lloyd D. Johnston, John E. Schulenberg; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997.

Lastly, I ask, Allah to give us the ability to restrain our desires and to willingly submit ourselves to His will.

Oh Allah, the Almighty, make our country Nigeria safe and the other Muslim countries in general, Oh Lord of the universe, jinn and mankind.

Oh Allah, protect our safety, our Iman and our peace in our native lands and rectify those placed in authority over our affairs (our leaders), and don’t hold us to account for that which the foolish amongst us have done, and protect us from trials, the apparent and hidden.

Oh Allah, show us the truth for the truth and help us to follow it, and show us the falsehood for falsehood and help us to stay away from it, and make Iman most beloved to us and beautify it in our hearts, and make disbelief, lewdness and rebellion most hated to us and make us from those who are guided.

Oh Allah, rectify all our leaders, guide them to that which is good for themselves and to that which is good for us. Oh Allah make them a means for our safety, and make them a means for our word (unity) to be one, and make them a cause for our coming together, Yaa Al-Hayyu (Oh The Ever Living, The One who cannot die), Yaa Al-Qayyum (The Self Sustainer), Yaa Saami’ (The Hearer) of the supplication.

Oh Allah, safeguard our country. Oh Allah, bring ease to the Nigerians from that which they face from sufferings. Oh Allah, give us immediate ease. Oh Allah, give us victory with a happy outcome. Oh Allah make ease for the Nigerians from every difficulty and from every suffering, Oh Hearer of the supplication, Oh Reliever from every distress, Oh answerer of the supplication, Oh Helper of the grieving, Oh ever living, Self Sustaining, Oh Hearer of the supplication, Oh Owner of Loftiness and Nobility!

I ask Allah to assist us in living by the Quran and Sunnah. I pray that He lets us recognise the truth for what it is and helps us to follow it, and that He lets us see falsehood for what it is and helps us to avoid it.

O Allah! Guide us and protect us from the causes of ignorance and destruction! Save us from the defects of ourselves! Cause the last of our deeds to be the best and most righteous! And forgive all of us.

Oh Allah! The Sustainer of Mankind! Remove the illness from our President Muhammadu Buhari, cure his disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant him a cure that leaves no illness.

I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oh Allah! Our Lord and Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the Fire of Jahannam (Hellfire).

I seek protection in the might of Allah and His power from the evil of what President Muhammadu Buhari is experiencing and of what he fear.

Oh Allah! Make every single aspect of our life be for You and in service of Your Creation. Please remove all false intentions that we have.

Oh Allah! save humanity from being its own enemy. Protect Your creation from oppression. Save the people of Nigeria from internal and external oppressors and give them justice. Protect us all from violence, fear and danger, You are our Protector.

Ya Allah! let us love You as You deserved to be loved, and let us fear You as You deserve to be feared, and let us leave this world serving Your creation for Your sake.

Oh Allah! increase us in beneficial knowledge, let this knowledge be with sincerity, not for seeking fame, glory, status, material wealth. Let this knowledge serve Your cause in a way that You accept, and let it benefit humanity.

Oh Allah! please guide our children and all children. They are surrounded by so much temptation and forbidden things. Protect them our Lord from all of the evil influences that are around them. Give them friends who will strengthen their faith and help them stay on the Straight Path. Ameen Ya Rabb!

My respected people! For a Muslim Ramadan is the month in which they can gain maximum blessings and mercy from Allah Almighty and seek forgiveness for whatever sins they have committed. Therefore, prayers, charity, Du’as etc, need to be ensured during the month as these are the means that can help a Muslim achieve the desired objectives.

I pray that Allah Ta’ala allows me and you all to finished this Ramadan with the highest degree of Iman, ameen.

My respected people! Anything good I have said in my today’s Khutbah (Sermon) is from Allah the Almighty, and any mistakes are my own and we seek refuge in Allah from giving wrong advice and from all forms of calamities and fitnah. And I ask Allah’s forgiveness if I stepped beyond bounds in anything I said or I do.

May Allah be praised; and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Messenger Muhammad (Pbuh), and upon his family and Companions.

With this I conclude my Khutbah (Sermon) and ask Allah, the Almighty and the sublime, to forgive all of our sins. So seek his forgiveness, He is all forgiving Most Merciful.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday Sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Ramadan 7, 1438 A.H. (June 2, 2017), By Imam Murtadha Muhammad Gusau, the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and Alhaji Abdurrahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene Kogi State Nigeria. He can be reached via: +2348038289761

UK councils under pressure over £1bn of tobacco investments

Major investors set example to local authorities with commitment to selling shares in cigarette makers

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/may/31/uk-councils-under-pressure-over-1bn-of-tobacco-investments

Some of the world’s largest investment firms have thrown their weight behind efforts to combat smoking, sparking renewed calls for UK local authorities to divest all their shares in the tobacco industry from their pension fund investments.

More than 50 companies managing $3.8tn (£3tn) of money, including pension funds and insurers, declared support for “tobacco control measures being taken around the world” – even though some of them still own shares in tobacco businesses.

In a joint statement, released to coincide with World No Tobacco Day, they said: “We in the investment community are becoming increasingly aware of the important role we can play in helping to address the health and societal impacts of tobacco.”

The firms cited studies suggesting that smoking costs the global economy more than $1tn a year, outstripping global revenues from tobacco taxes.

Signatories of the statement include Axa – the French insurance firm that sold its entire €1.8bn (£1.6bn) tobacco portfolio last year – and Calpers, the giant US fund with nearly $300bn of assets under management. Calpers has also divested itself of all its tobacco investments.

While some large investors have sold tobacco holdings, funds managing the pension investments of UK local authority staff still own at least £1bn of tobacco stocks, according to analysis by the Guardian.

The share register of British American Tobacco (BAT), owner of Benson & Hedges and Lucky Strike, includes 28 local government schemes, which together own a combined £700m stake in the company.

The council with the largest investment in BAT is Hampshire county council, with about £81m of pensioners’ money invested in the firm. BAT has an office in Southampton, but ceased production of cigarettes at the site in 2007.

Nottinghamshire Local Government Pension Fund is second with about £62m worth of shares and is also among the largest investors in Imperial Brands, which makes Embassy and Superkings. Cigarettes were produced in Nottingham until May last year.

Imperial counts 19 local authorities among its shareholders, with their investments adding up to nearly £290m.

In total, share registers disclose that local authorities own close to £1bn of shares in the two companies. Their total tobacco investment is likely to be higher if they are invested in separate funds that also count cigarette companies among their portfolio of shares.

One of the obstacles to council pension funds selling tobacco stocks is a legal argument that trustees are obliged to prioritise the need to maximise investment returns over anything else.

But guidance issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government said trustees did have some room for manoeuvre.

“Although schemes should make the pursuit of a financial return their predominant concern, they may also take purely non-financial considerations into account provided that doing so would not involve significant risk of financial detriment to the scheme and where they have good reason to think that scheme members would support their decision.”

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the health charity Ash (Action on Smoking and Health), said this left the door open for selling tobacco stocks.

“Historically, investment in tobacco was seen as safe, promising good returns, but increasingly fund managers are realising investing in tobacco is neither acceptable nor sustainable,” she said.

“Local authority pension funds have a legal duty to get the best deal for their pensioners, but if big investment funds like Axa can disinvest then surely local authorities, which have a legal duty to promote the health of local people, can do the same.”

Dr Bronwyn King, an oncologist who was instrumental in persuading Axa to drop its tobacco investments, said local governments should give serious thought to divesting, particularly given the cost to the public purse of smoking-related illness.

“We call on all government-related pension funds and sovereign wealth funds to look again at their policy,” she said.

“The health sector across the world is unified on tobacco but that alone won’t be enough. If the finance sector continues to invest in tobacco and strives to profit from it, we’re working against each other.”

The statement by investors calling for tighter tobacco control was issued at a conference in Paris to mark the annual no-tobacco day, started by the World Health Organization. WHO has estimated that tobacco claims more than 7 million lives each year.

Thomas Buberl, chief executive of Axa, was among the speakers at the event, a year on from the company’s decision to sell all its tobacco stakes.

“As the Axa group strives to be a partner in society, it is clear that action must be taken to combat the enormous human costs of tobacco,” said Buberl.

“I am convinced we must work together if we want to bring about change. Therefore, we are very proud to be working with other major financial actors and key stakeholders in support of governments to take action on tobacco control.”

Smoking ban takes effect

The Czech Republic marked World No Tobacco Day on 31 May by implementing a ban on smoking in public places including bars, restaurants and sports stadiums, the Associated Press said.

http://www.tobaccojournal.com/Smoking_ban_takes_effect.54268.0.html

The ban, which also applies to cafes, cinemas and threaters, faces a court challenged filed by a group of lawmakers, the AP said. Seventeen of 28 European Union member states reportedly have implemented comprehensive smoking bans and it appears only one, Slovakia, still allows smoking in bars, according to EU data cited in the report.

Nigeria introduces 9 new regulations to limit tobacco use

As the world marks this year’s World No Tobacco Day, Nigeria’s Health Minister, Isaac Adewole, has announced nine regulations in the Nigeria Tobacco Control Act that would be implemented by the federal government.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/232735-nigeria-introduces-9-new-regulations-to-limit-tobacco-use-full-list.html

The National Tobacco Control Act was signed into law in 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The theme for this year’s event, ‘Tobacco: A Threat to Development,’ aims at highlighting the link between tobacco use and development as well as show that tobacco control can break the cycle of poverty, contribute to ending hunger, promote sustainable agriculture and economic growth, and combat climate change.

Ahead of this year’s celebration, the World Health Organization revealed that tobacco kills over seven million people annually, and is an increasing risk factor in non-communicable (NCDs), including cardiovascular disease, cancers and chronic obstructed pulmonary disease.

Earlier Mr. Adewole, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, had told PREMIUM TIMES that the implementation of the tobacco control Act had been slow because the draft Regulations need the National Assembly approval.

Below are the regulations listed by the minister to be implemented:

1. Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below age 18.
2. Ban of sale of cigarettes in single sticks; cigarettes must be sold in packs of 20 sticks only.
3. Smokeless tobacco shall be sold in a minimum of a pack of 30 grammes.
4. Ban of sale or offer for sale or distribution of tobacco or tobacco products through mail, internet, or other online devices.
5. Prohibition of interference of tobacco industry in public health and related issues.
6. Prohibition of smoking in anywhere on the premises of a child care facility, educational facility, and healthcare facility. Other prohibited for smoking include playgrounds, amusement parks, plazas, public parks, stadia, public transport, restaurants’ bar, and other public gathering spaces.
7. Prosecution of owner or manager of any of the places listed above who permits, encourages or fails to stop smoking in the above listed places.
8. Prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship of any kind.
9. Compliance with specified standards for content.

Tobacco-growing Cuba marks World No Tobacco Day

Despite its world-famous tobacco crop, Cuba on Wednesday celebrated World No Tobacco Day with zeal, launching anti-smoking campaigns in the media, at schools and in healthcare centers.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-06/01/c_136329851.htm

“Statistics show that 54 percent of Cuban families, 55 percent of children, 51 percent of pregnant women and 60 percent of adolescents are exposed to this polluting agent.

These figures rank us as the Latin American country with the highest exposure to tobacco smoke in the home,” the daily Granma cited Elba Lorenzo Vazquez, national coordinator of the state anti-smoking program, as saying at a press conference.

Cuba has Latin America’s third highest rate of smokers, with some 24 percent of the population smoking.

The anti-smoking campaign is directed mainly at young Cubans, hoping to prevent them from picking up the habit in the first place, though the government is also promoting programs to help those addicted to tobacco quit smoking.

Laws that restrict smoking have been around in Cuba since the early 1970s. In 1974, the government banned smoking in government offices and institutions, and in 1986, the ban was expanded to other areas.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared May 31st World No Tobacco Day to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking, which can lead to lung cancer, respiratory diseases and other ailments.

Half of all smokers die prematurely, according to the WHO.

Under the banner “Tobacco — a threat to development,” the WHO released a video that warns “tobacco endangers our health, economies and environment and undermines our effort to build … a more prosperous world for all.”

Tobacco poison needs to go from shelves

Former associate health minister Dame Tariana Turia is disappointed she was not able to get the government to remove tobacco from sale in New Zealand.

http://www.waateanews.com/waateanews/x_story_id/MTY0NTU=

It’s World Smokefree Day, and the Cancer Society and Maori public health organisation Hapai Te Hauora have launched the Dame Tariana Turia Award for tobacco control, which will go to someone working in tobacco control who has made an impact on indigenous smoking levels.

Dame Tariana says she is proud of what she was able to do as minister with the support of many others, but the New Zealand government still needs to say tobacco is a poisonous substance that should not be part of trade.

It showed it was able to act by stopping the sale of party pills and synthetic cannabis.

“They took the other off the shelves because of the incidents that were occurring through people taking them, yet for some reason tobacco has never been considered to be an unsafe substance,” she says.

Dame Tariana says dairy owners who want government protection against cigarette robberies should instead consider not selling them, following the lead of a Maori-owned dairy in Whanganui.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Defence Force is taking steps to be the world’s first smokefree military by 2020, including banning the sale of cigarettes on camps and bases and making NZDF housing smokefree.

Mumbai: Over 40 NGOs, Tata Hospital join hands against tobacco

Mumbai: To mark ‘World No Tobacco Day’ which falls on May 31, more than 40 Non-Governmental Organisations, (NGOs) in collaboration with the Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel have formed a coalition to reduce the consumption of tobacco in India.

http://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-over-40-ngos-tata-hospital-join-hands-against-tobacco/1077580

Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, professor and surgeon of Tata hospital, said that every third person in India consumes tobacco in different forms. He stated that the theme, ‘Tobacco- a threat to development’ specifically highlights the link between the use of tobacco products, tobacco control and sustainable development.

Dr. Chaturvedi further said that 33 per cent of tobacco users die a premature death due to cancer, heart attack, lung diseases, stroke etc. A smoker loses 8 years of his life due to this addiction.

“Tobacco is responsible for nearly 50 per cent cancers in India and 90 per cent of mouth cancers. Half of the mouth cancer patients die within 12 months of diagnosis,” said Dr. Chaturvedi.

Dr. Vijay Satbir Singh, additional chief secretary Public Health Department said that the main aim is to regulate the consumption of tobacco by implementing the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA Act).

“The main challenge is to enforce traders to implement the warning signs and stop selling loose cigarettes. Stern action will be taken against those who are not following the law,” said Dr. Singh.

What is COTPA Act?

The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 was enacted in 2003 to prohibit advertisement of tobacco products and to regulate them in India.
The Act prohibits smoking of tobacco in public places, except in special smoking zones in hotels, restaurants and airports and open spaces.
Advertisement of tobacco products including cigarettes is prohibited.
Tobacco products cannot be sold to person below the age of 18 years, and in places within 100 metres radius from the outer boundary of an institution of education.
Tobacco products must be sold, supplied or distributed in a package which shall contain an appropriate pictorial warning, its nicotine and tar contents.

On World No Tobacco Day, a pledge to free millions from the poverty trap called smoking

Shin Young-soo calls for stringent policies and taxation as deterrents to tobacco use, as the habit not only kills but keeps entire households in long-term ill health and poverty across Asia and the Pacific

http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2096334/world-no-tobacco-day-pledge-free-millions-poverty-trap

In a small fishing village in Vietnam, 27-year-old Duong pockets US$2 from his weekly earnings of US$15 from fish sales, and looks forward to the pack of cigarettes he will buy with it.

His wife tells him she needs another US$2 to buy rice for the rest of the week. Duong stops to think, and then walks to the nearest store to buy his favourite pack.

We have long known tobacco use is bad for health. Less well known is how this hurts poor and vulnerable families. Millions of stories like Duong’s play out across Asia and the Pacific every day: meagre household resources are spent on tobacco, instead of food, shelter and education. For already impoverished families, even a small diversion of resources from basic necessities can have a huge impact. And that is before the impact of tobacco-related illness, the costs of which can plunge poor families even further into poverty – or prevent them from escaping it.

The WHO Western Pacific region is home to nearly 400 million smokers, with some countries there having the highest male smoking rates in the world – at over 90 per cent. Most tobacco-related deaths in the world occur in low- and middle-income nations. In the Western Pacific, about three people die every minute from tobacco-related diseases.

In China, the world’s biggest producer and consumer of tobacco products, a WHO-commissioned study found the death of a head of household, or “breadwinner”, from tobacco-related illness results in significant average yearly loss of household income – and the effect is long term. Households do not start to recover financially until at least 10 years after such a death.

Contrary to the tobacco industry’s claims that sales are good for the economy, tobacco use hurts economies and hampers their growth – through the microeconomic costs imposed on households and macroeconomic costs including the health costs of treating tobacco-related illness. There is also lost productivity and participation in the workforce as most tobacco-related deaths occur among working-age adults.

The good news is that we know what to do. Strong policies to reduce tobacco use work. The single most effective intervention is to use tobacco taxation to increase prices – and, in doing so, discourage consumption. Tobacco tax increases also deliver more revenue to governments: it’s a win-win situation.

The theme for this year’s World No Tobacco Day, on May 31, is “Tobacco is a threat to development”. Tobacco use traps the poor in a vicious cycle of poor health and poverty. The sustainable development agenda has no room for a product that kills half of its users, with a particularly devastating impact on the poor.

Dr Shin Young-soo is the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific

Support World No Tobacco Day – say “no” to tobacco

To support the World No Tobacco Day 2017, the Department of Health (DH) today (May 31) held a sharing session to remind the public again of the hazards of smoking and to urge smokers to quit smoking as early as possible.

http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201705/31/P2017053100249.htm

Speaking at the sharing session, the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, said that the World Health Organization (WHO) has marked May 31 as World No Tobacco Day annually. The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2017 is “Tobacco – a threat to development”, with the aim of demonstrating the threats posed by tobacco to the world’s sustainable development, including public health and the economy. Dr Chan strongly urged members of the public to say “no” to tobacco and to continue supporting the Government’s efforts in tobacco control.

“With the collaborative efforts of the Government and various sectors over the years, the work on tobacco control in Hong Kong has attained pleasing results, with a drop in overall smoking prevalence from 23.3 per cent in the 1980s to 10.5 per cent in 2015. Nonetheless, casualties and economic loss directly and indirectly caused by tobacco remain tremendous. Local studies revealed that tobacco-related fatalities reach nearly 7 000 people annually and the economic loss resulting from tobacco-related health problems is estimated to be about 5.5 billion every year,” Dr Chan said.

“Smoking is a causative agent of many cancers as well as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Smoking causes harm not only to the smoker but also to their family members and friends due to the secondhand smoke induced, which increases their risk of cancer and many other chronic diseases as well as the chance of children developing respiratory symptoms,” Dr Chan added.

Sharing the research findings on local smoking-related mortality and morbidity conducted by the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the Chair Professor of the School of Public Health of the HKU, Professor Lam Tai-hing, pointed out that at least one out of every two elderly smokers died of tobacco-related diseases. He said that the Government must continue to adopt various tobacco control measures to encourage smokers to quit the habit.

The Head of the Tobacco Control Office of the DH, Dr Lee Pui-man, introduced in the sharing session 12 new pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets, which better inform the public about the specific hazards of tobacco use to smokers and their families. Experience and evidence from the WHO and around the globe also demonstrate that pictorial health warnings are an effective intervention, and increasing the size of pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets is now an international trend.

“The graphics and designs of health warnings should be updated regularly so as to maintain their salience and enhance the impact. The Government updates pictorial health warnings coupled with multiple tobacco control measures to discourage members of the public from smoking and encourage smokers to quit,” Dr Lee said.

Smokers who intend to quit smoking can call the DH’s Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline on 1833 183, where registered nurses provide professional counselling services on smoking cessation and will also refer service users to suitable social service agencies for follow-up when necessary. To enhance smoking cessation services to smokers, the DH will launch a pilot public-private partnership programme this year to trial a new mode of smoking cessation service supported by family physicians.

In addition, the DH will collaborate with a renowned medical institution, Mayo Clinic, in the United States to organise an online training programme on tobacco dependence treatment, which will be rolled out within this year. Family physicians joining the programme will acquire skills and knowledge on smoking cessation via e-learning, and their capacity in providing smoking cessation services will be further enhanced through training and assessment. The programme aims to ensure that they can provide quitters with effective evidence-based treatment.

In addition, two patient representatives shared their experience of smoking at the sharing session, ranging from smoking-related diseases to successfully quitting the habit. They urged other smokers to quit smoking as early as possible and to seek help on smoking cessation if necessary.