Smoking 3 cigarettes reduces life in 24 hours, says health expert Prof. Olatunji Aina
‘Smokers can die young’: this was the presentation of Professor Olatunji Aina as the keynote speaker at the second Mental Health Summit which took place on Thursday in Lagos.
The theme of the summit: “Mental Health in a Troubled Economy: Drug Abuse: A New Force Driving Mental Health Crises in Nigeria” brought together health experts to discuss the condition that has been dubbed the “silent killer” .
Professor Aina, who is also a consultant psychiatrist, identified excessive smoking as one of the conditions that could lead to mental health problems.
He said: “It has been found that frequent and persistent smoking can also cause mental health problems and premature death.
“According to the findings, smoking one stick of cigarettes reduces your life by eight hours, so when you smoke three sticks, you know one day of your life is gone. And we know that there are those who smoke more than three cigarettes a day.
“The damage done to one’s health cannot be stressed enough, which is why there is always a warning that comes with smoking.”
In addition, he called for more attention to be paid to those battling mental health issues along with better advocacy.
Other causes of mental health problems listed by Prof. Aina are poverty, insomnia and illness.