http://www.jstc.or.jp/E-mail desk@nosmoke55.jp〒162-0063 東京都新宿区市⾕薬王寺町 30-5-201
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Let's quit smoking to prevent "Japan from losing to thenovel coronavirus"!
World No Tobacco Day is May 31st, and Smoking Cessation Week isfrom May 31st to June 6th.
● Smoking raises the risk of infection from the novel coronavirus and is a significant cause ofdeath from many factors.
① Smoking raises the risk of infection because a smoker enters a small room usually withothers present, removes a mask and frequently touches the lips.
② Smokers have twice the risk of aggravated symptoms and death from coronavirus.
③ Smoking is a cause of cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) and diabetes. The risk and symptoms of coronavirus infections areexacerbated by these diseases.
④ Due to the above factors, tobacco puts a significant burden on the medical care system.
By quitting smoking, let's reduce the excessive burden on the medical care system.
● Tobacco puts a lot of strain on the medical care systems in Japan and other countries.
① Tobacco causes 10% of deaths in Japan and 14% of deaths in other countries (Ministry ofHealth, Labor and Welfare, WHO).
② High outlays for medical expenses must be allocated for illnesses caused by tobacco.
③ If tobacco-related illnesses decrease due to smoking cessation, better outcomes for
infectious diseases are possible.
● There are many merits of smoking cessation① Quitting active smoking eliminates passive smoking for family and colleagues. Morethan 15,000 people die from passive smoking every year in Japan. (Ministry of Health,
Labor and Welfare).
② Smokers can produce only half of the amount of antibodies from vaccination relative to
non-smokers (Kennedy NA et al. Gut 2021). In other words, smoking cessation improves

the effectiveness of the vaccine.
③ Smoking creates mental health disorders. To confront one’s difficult circumstances,
let’s completely quit smoking.
● There are many places that offer consultation for those who want to quit smoking.
①

There are about 17,000 smoking cessation outpatient clinics throughout the nation
where health insurance can be used. The number of facilities for remote medical care(telemedicine) is currently 1,000, and this number has recently increased.
List of medical institutions: http://www.nosmoke55.jp/nicotine/clinic.html②The number of local governments that subsidize the costs of smoking cessation
treatment has also increased.
List of local government authorities with means to subsidize treatment costs
https://notobacco.jp/pslaw/chiryohijosei.html

In Japan, 15,000 people die annually from passive smoking. Source: Ministry of Health,Labor and Welfare website
www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-10900000-Kenkoukyoku/0000130674.pdf
Males: 4523 people
Stroke 51%, lung cancer 14%, ischemic heart disease 35%
Females: 10434 people
Stroke 54%, lung cancer 18%, ischemic heart disease 28%
Figure 1. Estimated annual number of deaths from passive smoking: lung cancer
2484, ischemic heart disease 4459, stroke 8014, sudden infant death syndrome 73;
total of about 15,000.

http://www.jstc.or.jp/uploads/uploads/files/essay/WHO20210222.pdf