Trinidad & Tobago Cancer Society Calls for the Establishment of a Tobacco Control Coalition

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
The Trinidad & Tobago Cancer Society has said that the time has come to establish a Tobacco Control Coalition in the twin-island Republic.
Trinidad and Tobago. Civil society has a central role to play in accelerating tobacco control action. They are inviting civil society organizations in Trinidad & Tobago – to share their input. Tobacco use is the leading preventable agent of death in the world today and is responsible for more than six million deaths each year.
The Society says that unless urgent action is taken to reverse this global epidemic, the World Health Organization expects that tobacco will kill as many as one billion people this century, taking a greater claim on human health than any single disease. Tobacco is the only legally available product which, when used as the manufacturer intends, kills half its users.
Tobacco control coalitions have played a critical role in a comprehensive approach designed to change social norms through advocacy and policy change. For over three decades, tobacco control coalitions have mobilized communities to participate in tobacco control efforts, combat the tobacco industry, and change the culture around tobacco.
The Society says that the time has come to establish a Tobacco Control Coalition in Trinidad and Tobago as a strategy to improve public health outcomes and as a mechanism to effectively accelerate and monitor tobacco control efforts.
The Trinidad Cancer Society invites all in civil society to share their input and be a key player in developing local policies and providing valuable direction for a tobacco control program.
Those who are interested can indicate your interest in exploring this possibility by emailing The Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society at kimlin.harrilal@ttcancersociety.org or call Kimlin Harrilal at 868-622-6827.