HMC Tobacco Cessation Centre conducts awareness activities

The Tobacco Cessation Centre at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), an accredited centre by the World Health Organisation, conducted a number of educational and health activities and events in the last quarter of 2024.Aimed at enhancing community awareness and informing the public about the risks of tobacco product consumption, especially new products such as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, the centre aimed to help users quit smoking and overcome the harmful habit.The Tobacco Cessation Centre intensified awareness campaigns in educational institutions by launching a campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education across several schools in Qatar. The campaign aimed to raise awareness, provide accurate information, and correct misconceptions about tobacco and its products, while also reducing tobacco use among youths.The campaign covered more than 15 secondary and high schools and engaged over 1,000 students through educational and interactive sessions. These sessions emphasised the importance of awareness and highlighted promotional tricks used by some tobacco producers.Discussions were held with students about new tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches to correct misconceptions associated with them. The centre also participated in various vocational and health exhibitions held at public high schools to encourage students and teachers to adopt a healthy, nicotine-free lifestyle.At a community level, the centre participated in several events alongside other institutions across Qatar to prevent tobacco use.These events included Doha Week for Healthcare, sponsored by WISH 2024, as well as activities with the Qatar Diabetes Society, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Aspire Academy, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and various departments within HMC.