Smoking opens the door to coronavirus
Smoking increases the risk of suffering a severe course of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Smoking weakens the immune system and damages the lungs. The younger a person is who starts smoking, the greater the risk of becoming addicted to nicotine, contracting acute respiratory infections and dying from chronic respiratory or lung disease. The Swiss Lung League therefore calls for effective youth protection in the Tobacco Products Act.
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Smoking doubles the risk of Respiratory infection. The cell walls of the alveoli are less stable due to nicotine consumption. This could make it easier for viruses such as COVID-19 to penetrate the cell walls of the alveoli1. However, more research is needed to determine this. As initial studies show, the risk of suffering a severe course of coronavirus disease increases by a factor of 2.4 in smokers. In addition, smokers are more likely to have pre-existing cardiovascular diseases, Cancer or chronic respiratory diseases, which may increase the risk of severe COVID-19 increase additionally.
Preventing youth from nicotine use
More than half of people start using tobacco as adolescents. Among 15-
19-year-olds already smoke 21%. 50% of 15-year-old boys and 35% of those of the same age.
Girls have already taken a drag on an e-cigarette. In addition courts the
tobacco industry to young people with flavored nicotine products. In the EU
Cigarettes with flavors such as menthol or vanilla banned from May 20, 2020. The present
Unfortunately, the draft of the Tobacco Products Act does not provide for any such Prohibition measures before.
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