It was for a Smoke-Free City that the harmful effects of tobacco - on health, safety, and the environment - were discussed in a session hosted by Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto, as part of a partnership with the Porto Municipal Police. The event, which brought together the academic community, featured an intervention by Pedro Norton, Director of the Occupational Health Service at Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João.
“This is a public health issue. With our actions, we are contributing to a better world – more health, more sustainability, more well-being”, emphasized Isabel Braga da Cruz, Vice-Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa for the Porto campus, reinforcing the alignment of the initiative with the University’s sustainability goals.
The event marks “the beginning of a long journey,” said Liliana Marinho, Commander of the Porto Municipal Police, in her opening remarks, describing the Fumo 0 (Smoke-Free) project as an important bridge with the student community and a reflection of “a Municipal Police that we can always count on.”
Chief João Cunha, from the Porto Municipal Police, opened the informative session with a legal overview of the prohibition on discarding cigarette butts and the corresponding fines. Highlighting the importance of having “students as our best allies in this campaign,” he called for both individual and collective responsibility in promoting prevention.
In this context, he reiterated the invitation to participate in the action taking place on November 17, World No Tobacco Day, which aims to “raise public awareness of the harms caused by the improper disposal of cigarette butts in public spaces.” The initiative, promoted by the Porto Municipal Police, will involve the city’s academic community and will begin at 1:45 p.m., in front of Porto City Hall.
“If we can help someone quit smoking, these patients will thank us for life”
The session also featured the medical perspective of Pedro Norton, Director of the Occupational Health Service at Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João. In a comprehensive presentation, he explored the history of tobacco dependence, explained the biological mechanisms of consumption, and emphasized that “tobacco is a risk factor for six of the eight main causes of death”, including heart attacks, strokes, respiratory infections, COPD, tuberculosis, and various types of cancer.
Beyond the risk of disease, he addressed the occupational and quality-of-life impacts, noting that “on average, a smoker loses 10 years of life and 10 years of quality life.” He also warned about the risks associated with e-cigarettes and alternative cessation therapies, whose benefits “are not scientifically proven.”
Highlighting the importance of medical support in the cessation process, he shared practical advice not only for citizens but also for future health professionals — as the audience included more than 100 students from Católica in Porto, particularly from Nursing Degree, and as well as students from the Pharmacy Technician program of Escola de Economia Social do Porto.
Pedro Norton concluded his talk with a reflection inspired by a quote from Sir Ernest Shackleton, framing smoking cessation as an act of courage and perseverance: “The journey to quit smoking is a dangerous one. There is always the risk of relapse, withdrawal symptoms - constant danger. But if we overcome these barriers, if we manage to help someone stop smoking, these patients will thank us for life. The benefits are immense.”
Through this session of the Fumo 0 (Smoke-Free) project, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto reinforced its commitment to raising awareness about the reduction, cessation, or rejection of tobacco use, to the sharing of knowledge, and to the dissemination of this message across the community - reiterating that saying no to tobacco is more than an individual choice; it is a commitment to the health of all and to the environment.
