The Director of National Cardiothoracic Center, Dr Lawrence Agyeman Sirebuor, says he is worried about the alarming and pervasive rate of shisha smoking among the Ghanaian youth.

Speaking at the launch of the World Heart Day 2019, Dr Sirebuor alleged that rampant abuse of shisha smoking among the youth could be attributed to the erroneous myth that it is safe for their health.

“They have the impression that because it is something that goes underwater, the bad things that cause problems will be removed; it is not so”, he said.

He emphasized the need for continuous education about the shisha product to the youth.

“This is something that we need to educate people really about”, he remarked.

Dr Sirebuor further threw a challenge to all individuals to actively play their part in ensuring that the death rates of cardiovascular diseases are at its bare minimum in the country.



“We all as individuals have roles to play, by working together, we can help people live longer, live better lives, and live healthier lives. As I said, about 80% of premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by just taking these simple lifestyle changes”, he concluded.