Stop smoking at home!
Cigarette smoke can turn normal breast cells cancerous by blocking their ability to repair themselves, according to a report by University of Florida scientists.
"This will eventually trigger tumour development," Action on Smoking and Health Foundation's secretary general Prakit Vathisathokit said yesterday. His comments were based on the report, which was published in August. The report said cigarette tar contained up to 81 carcinogenic chemicals, which subjected both active and passive smokers to health risks. "Stop smoking and stay clear of cigarette smoke," Prakit said. Other research from California, he said, showed that female passive smokers under 50 years of age had much higher risk of developing breast cancers when compared with others. Prakit said in Thailand, up to 6,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer each year. "Many of these women are passive smokers because they share the same roof with those who smoke," he said. He said his foundation would launch a campaign to encourage smokers not to smoke at home.
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