Health Ministry warns of smoking health risks

Belgrade, Jan 28, 2004 - Ahead of the upcoming national smoke-free day, marked on Jan 31, the Serbian Ministry of Health has issued a statement warning of the health risks of smoking.

In Serbia, every second man and every third woman enjoy cigarettes, exposing 97 percent of children to second-hand smoke every day, the statement said.

According to a recent opinion poll, 71 percent of children have at least one parent who is a smoker. Over 50 percent of schoolchildren between 13 and 15 years of age have tried a cigarette, with 17 percent of them actively smoking.

Tobacco smoke contains 4,000 poisonous chemicals, 60 of which cause cancer, according to the statement. Smoking is a leading cause of a number of serious diseases including heart disease, lung cancer and asthma.