IKK informs about World Non smoking Day

World Non-smoking Day: IKK Southwest informs and offers help

05/29/2013

For the 27th time, the world non-smoking day proclaimed by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be celebrated on May 31st. The WHO aims to point out the dangers of tobacco use on this day and at the same time is committed to establishing effective measures against consumption.

Like the Robert Koch Institute in its recently published „Study on adult health in Germany“ at least occasionally, almost one third of all Germans between the ages of 18 and 79 smoke, with one in four consuming more than 20 cigarettes per day. As a result, between 100,000 and 120,000 people in Germany die each year as a result of smoking.

The costs for the health system and the economy are enormous. The German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (DKFZ) published in 2009 that the direct costs for the health sector amount to more than 8.5 billion euros. The burden on the economy - the indirect costs - puts the DKFZ on almost 25 billion euros.

Nevertheless, there are also achievements to announce. As the Federal Center for Health Education has determined, the proportion of smokers among the 12- to 17-year-olds in 2011 has reached a new low of just under 12%; In 1997 it was still 28%. In the group of 18- to 25-year-olds, a smoking quota of 37% reached a new low, the comparative value from 1997 was still 51%.

The IKK Southwest supports the goals of the WHO and therefore offers all its insured people who want to stop smoking and do something for their health. In addition to financial support for smoking cessation courses, insured persons can take advantage of the health hotline 0800/0 119 000, where they can find qualified contact persons.

With around 1,800 employees, IKK currently manages more than 690,000 insured persons and more than 100,000 companies in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. The IKK Südwest is available around the clock, seven days a week, via the free IKK service hotline 0800/0 119 119 or at www.ikk-suedwest.de.