By THANDIWE MOYO –
THE Zambia Heart and Stroke Foundation (ZHSF) has warned that the increased abuse of tobacco among the young people could result into escalating health problems in Zambia.
ZHSF president Fastone Goma cautioned the youths against indulging themselves in acts of sniffing tobacco as a way of getting high.
Some youths in Lusaka and other parts of the country have resorted to sniffing the tobacco popularly known as ‘tusunku’ in a bid to remain hyper and forget their tribulations.
But Dr Goma said in an interview during the week that he was aware about the challenges Zambian youths were facing but abusing any sort of drug was not a remedy.
“There are no known benefits of sniffing tobacco; the reasons men and women use to justify the usage are just fables, they should refrain from it as it will bring more harm than good to their health,” he said.
Tunsuku is a traditionally prepared brand of tobacco grained to a fine powder and sniffed or inhaled deep into the throat allowing nicotine to be absorbed from the mucous membranes lining both to the nose and the throat.
Nicotine causes a rise in heart rate and blood pressure and massive intake brings about erectile dysfunction in men and also reduces sperm count causing higher chances of infertility.
Dr Goma said the trend of using nicotine in Zambia was at a growing rate especially among the young people and called on the Government to enforce stiffer punishment to the abusers.
He advised the youths against the continued use of tobacco adding that it was harmful to the heart whether sniffed, chewed or smoked.