The Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society has received a regional award for its work in the prevention of the use of tobacco and tobacco-related education in2009.The award is one of four handed out as part of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) commemoration of World Health Tobacco Day.
Chairman of the society, Dr George Laquis, received the award Wednesday Dr Carol Boyd-Scobie, Trinidad and Tobago's representative at the WHO.
Health Minister Therese Baptiste-Cornelis, who was present at the ceremony, said smoking related illnesses cause more than 80 per cent of the yearly deaths in developing countries like Trinidad and Tobago.
"Tobacco smoke currently kills 5.4 million people a year from lung cancer, heart disease, and other tobacco-related illnesses," the minister said adding that tobacco related diseases lea to a less productive work force and the inevitable rise of health care costs.
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